Tremble before the Lightning
by Violetvixen17
Summary: When a broken Puck stumbles into Kurt's yard...it sets a chain of events into motion.  Puck/Kurt
1. Adrift and Alone

Adrift and Alone

The alcohol did little to help the pain that burned in his chest. The sounds of the party thundered around him, but Puck was not having a good time, not even close. Many familiar female faces wandered past, some offered flirty smiles but he couldn't bring himself to reciprocate. He knew that if he wanted he could find a willing female body to cozy up to tonight, hell Santana had flat out told him that she was his for the using whenever the need arose. A couple months ago that kind of statement would have been exactly what he wanted to hear, a no strings arrangement that he could take or leave, no emotions, no baggage, just fun.

Things were different now, this past year had changed everything, including how he regarded his former bedfellows. Now and then he toyed with the idea of taking Santana up on her offer, but she was so devoid of any kind of connection, or even pleasantries that it left an acrid taste in his mouth. His eye had wandered toward Brittany, but despite her pretty face and figure, he wasn't into going where so many others had gone before. Other Cheerios sauntered by and despite a vague appreciation for pretty faces, or sultry curves, Puck felt nothing. He downed the beer in his hand and reached for another. He was numb, and it was killing him.

The night stilted on, and Puck barely realized how drunk he was becoming as he worked his way through almost an entire six pack. He finally decided to move away from the sink that was serving as a makeshift cooler for the booze, but as he stumbled out of the kitchen and into the living room he instantly regretted it. His balance was off a little and he leaned against the doorframe, his eyes sweeping the crowd that milled about. Something caught his eye, something he didn't want to see. A flash of golden blond hair, pulled up high in cheerio ponytail. His chest constricted.

Quinn.

The very person he was trying to escape from. He narrowed his eyes to look closer. She was perched on the arm of the sofa, smiling coyly at someone. He knew that smile, it was the one she used to flash at Finn, the one that got the quarterback completely smitten with her, the one that she'd given him that night….the night they'd been together. His stomach flipped over, rolling dangerously. He watched as the person she talked to rose from the couch and came into his line of vision. It was the new kid on the football team, the one who had recently joined Glee club during his absence, with the blond pretty-boy haircut. He hadn't thought much about Sam one way or the other, until that moment…when, as Puck watched, Quinn willingly went into his arms for a dance.

Like driving by the scene of a car accident, Puck couldn't bring himself to look away, despite the rolling nausea that gripped him at the sight. Quinn had never looked at him that way, not once. He'd fallen so hard for her last year, not at first….she'd been more of a conquest challenge when they'd been together that one night. But her unwillingness to fall for his charms had intrigued him, and the more she pushed him away, the more he wanted her. Once he'd discovered her pregnancy he'd all but chased her affections the entire year, wanting for once to have the love that so many seemed to cherish. The idea of a baby had seemed so insane, yet Puck hadn't been able to help the fantasies that he'd created around the three of them becoming a family. He'd built her up so much in his head that it had blocked out all the others. He'd put her up on a pedestal, only it had been too high. Even after the birth of their daughter, she'd remained out of his reach. His feelings for Quinn Fabray had begun as a blow to his ego, and had ended with his broken heart.

But as he watched, she smiled and laughed with Sam, allowing him liberties that she'd have slapped him if he'd tried. When he, Puck, had tried to dance with her, she'd walked away, i Sam held her tightly against him as the pair swayed to the music, and she rested her head against his chest, looking completely content.

Puck lurched out of the room, unable to watch anymore. The pain in his chest was all consuming and as his stomach lurched again he suddenly needed to get out of that house, away from the loud music and laughter, away from Quinn, ,…..away from all of it.

Somehow he made it outside onto the sidewalk and began to walk. The cold night air burned his lungs but the pain seemed fitting as on the inside that's all there was anymore. Puck jammed his hands into his pockets and walked faster. The noise of the party fell away behind him as he put more distance between himself and the house. He regretted leaving his jacket behind as his worn t-shirt did little to keep him warm.

Puck barely even noticed as the rain began to fall. He just kept walking, turning right here, and left there. The ache in his chest threatened to suffocate him. He tried to sort it out in his head as he wandered. It wasn't so much that he wanted Quinn back now, he'd never really had her in the first place. He'd fallen in love with the idea of her, and while she'd been carrying their child he'd tried so damn hard to make her see. In the end she'd admitted that while his efforts had changed her perception of him slightly, she felt nothing for him other than the small connection that he was the father of her daughter.

_Oh God_….._Beth_… That did him in. The piercing sense of loss he felt whenever he allowed himself to think about his daughter was crippling. He felt the sobs building up in his chest, and the weight of it all, combined with his drunken state nearly knocked him to the sidewalk. He staggered away from the light of the street lamp toward the closest house with dark windows.

"I'm sorry,…." He choked out. "I'm so fuckin sorry…" His balance gave out and he stumbled into the mud at the side of the house. He didn't bother to get up.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((

KURT

Kurt quietly let himself back into the house, being careful to set down his shopping bags in the entryway so the rustling didn't wake his dad up. The evening spent at the mall with Mercedes had been fun, he'd needed that little bit of bonding time with his best friend. Not to mention, he'd found yet another awesome leather jacket to go with his designer jeans. He carefully removed his shoes and left them beside the bags. Normally he would have just darted down into his room to immediately fold and catalog his purchases, but it was late and with his dad's health scare, he wasn't taking any chances.

On socked feet he padded silently to his Dad's bedroom, peeked through the cracked door and smiled to see his dad snoring peacefully. Then he moved back through the house and moved to gently grab his things. He quickly and quietly tiptoed through the house and through the door that led to his staircase. Once he eased his door shut, he felt free to move normally and knowing that now the crinkling shopping bags wouldn't wake his father he trotted down into his room to sort through his bounty.

20 minutes later as he lay in the darkness, trying to get comfortable enough to sleep….Kurt heard something. At first he dismissed it as part of the rain. He sat up and strained to listen. It sounded like someone outside the house. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he instantly thought about a prowler. His first thoughts were torn between running upstairs to wake up his dad, and/or calling the cops. He didn't want to alarm his dad, after the heart attack, and he knew that if he called the cops they would come banging on the door and if he was wrong…but the sound changed then.

It was muffled and far off…but it sounded like someone crying.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and silently found his sneakers, the ratty converse ones that he saved for whenever his dad made him work at the shop. He crept up his stairway back into the main house and paused in the kitchen. He could hear it better now…it was definitely someone crying. Not just crying…but sobbing. Kurt bit his lip and moved toward the backdoor. He grimaced as he saw that it was raining outside, normally he would have scrapped the whole investigation at this point…but he was too curious to go back now.

He quickly ran to grab one of his dad's rain slickers from the front closet and then moved back to the backdoor. Flipping up the oversized hood he slowly opened the door and crept around to the side of the house where he'd heard the crying.

He peered into the rainy darkness, his neighbors porch light cast just enough light into his yard for him to make out the figure huddled up on the ground. Kurt froze for a moment, scared that whoever it was would see him there. His panic reaction inwardly screamed for him to run back in the house and call the cops. But the soft sound of the man crying touched his tender heart and he stood still, staring. The man sat in the mud, his knees pulled up tight against his chest, his forehead resting on them. He was soaked to the skin, his thin tee shirt plastered against his skin. Kurt clutched at his dad's slicker, pulling it tighter around him as a gust of cold wind whipped rain against his face. He was mostly dry and shivering, he couldn't imagine how this man could stand to be that wet out here, the guy had to be freezing. Kurt risked a few more steps closer as the man's sobs slowed, until only his shoulders shook slightly.

The man took no notice of him moving closer, but when Kurt was only a few feet away, his eyes registered something familiar about him. The man's head was down, and Kurt saw now that his head was shaved, except for a thick stripe of hair…..a Mohawk….

_What in the holy hell… _

"Puck?" Kurt heard the squeak in his voice, but he couldn't help it.

The other boy's shoulders stilled, but he didn't lift his head. No longer terrified, Kurt advanced on him, looking down at where one of the biggest bullies at his school was cowering in the mud against his wall. As he approached, he could see a little better, it was definitely Puck. Between the Mohawk and the bulging muscles that were strained against the wet fabric there was no mistake.

Kurt was unsure what to say or do next. Sure he'd fantasized about seeing his former tormentor laid low before, he'd envisioned many humiliating scenarios he'd have liked to see the football player in as revenge. But none of them were as sad as this one, alone and crying in the dark and the cold was not something he was vindictive enough to imagine.

"Puck? Hello?" He called, louder this time.

The larger teen slowly lifted his head up. It was hard to see in the darkness but his face was twisted into a pained expression. This was not the same jock who had happily tossed him into a dumpster so many times, nor was it the same confidant bad boy who sauntered through McKinley's halls, charming women with a grin. This Puck was a mere shadow of that person. Two words fluttered into Kurt's mind as he stared, _broken….and alone._

Kurt instantly felt any smugness drain from him. He knew what that kind of sadness felt like, he remembered the horrible pain of losing his mother, the loneliness of being the only individual in a crowd of clones, the only gay kid in town…he of all people knew.

"Come on…" Kurt said simply, bending down to grab a hold of Puck's arm.

Puck's reactions were dulled, and as close as he now was Kurt could smell the bitter aroma of cheap beer. Puck's confusion suddenly made more sense, he was drunk. But for whatever reason Puck let Kurt pull him up to his feet where he swayed uneasily.

"What are you doing here Puck?" He said, loud enough to make himself heard over the rain.

Puck shook his head slowly, water dripping down his face. "Don't know….just had to ….walk…" he mumbled.

Kurt nodded, knowing that trying to get answers out of a drunk Puck was probably not the best way to proceed. The wind blew through again, wetting his face and he decided that whatever he was going to do …he wanted to get out of this rain. He reached out for Puck's arm again, and turned to lead him around to the back door. He felt Puck move his arm out of reach and Kurt sighed, knowing that the larger teen had probably just recoiled from his touch, like any other homophobic person. Kurt sighed and thought maybe he should just leave Puck there and go back to bed.

But then he felt it…a cold wet hand grabbed his and held tightly.

"Don't go…"

Kurt snapped around to peer out from his coat hood at Puck. Standing, the dim glow of neighbors light illuminated Pucks' face better and Kurt saw that he was staring right at him, at their joined hands. His eyes were red from crying, his clothing soaked. He expected Puck to let go immediately, but he didn't, if anything he held tighter.


	2. Drowning

Kurt's mouth opened and closed in confusion, but he stayed silent and pulled Puck through the back door and into his kitchen. Once inside he flicked on the kitchen light with his free hand. The sudden brightness made Puck wince and turn his face downward, but Kurt was still slightly shocked at what he saw. The Puck he knew had never looked like this. His eyes were red rimmed from crying, his clothes dirty and wet, his shoulders hunched. He looked defeated and lost.

But with all that surprised him about Puck's appearance in that moment, one thing eclipsed it all. And that was the fact that Puck was still holding his hand tightly, as if he was afraid Kurt would let go.

Kurt's eyes drifted over Puck's muddy clothes down to where the larger teen's thick fingers encased his own. Puck's hand was cold and damp, but his grip was sure and solid. Kurt wasn't used to being touched by anyone other than his father, or perhaps Mercedes. People generally avoided touching him, as if they thought that his sexuality was contagious. He had grown used to it, never letting anyone know how much he missed the human connection of physical contact. Despite the fact that he knew Puck was intoxicated and confused, he soaked up the sensation. A small piece of his soul purred happily, and he sighed as he realized just how lonely his world had become. Kurt swallowed over the lump that formed in his throat.

The rain pounded down harder outside. Kurt moved then to remove his raincoat, an action that forced him to release Puck's hand. At first Puck was reluctant to let go, but then he slowly unfolded his hand from around Kurt's. Kurt shrugged off the wet jacket and hung it on a hook beside the backdoor. This whole night was beginning to feel completely surreal and Kurt wondered for a moment if he was dreaming. He toed off his wet sneakers and turned around to face Puck again.

"Can you take off your shoes?" Kurt fumbled for something to say, anything to break the silence between them. "I really don't want to have to scrub mud out of the carpet." He babbled.

Puck nodded, flopping ungainly into a chair at the kitchen table and pulling off his grimy sneakers. Kurt wrinkled his nose up at the muddy water that pooled off the shoes onto the linoleum, but at least that could be easily mopped up. Mud caked into his white carpet downstairs was another story.

Kurt opened his mouth to say something more when they were suddenly back in darkness. He whipped his head around to see that even the microwave clock wasn't visible, the power was out. As if to explain, the rain began drumming down even harder on the roof.

"Damn…." Kurt muttered, throwing in a few other expletives, as he fumbled through the darkness to the kitchen drawer where they kept flashlights. He heard a soft chuckle coming from Puck's direction in the black.

"…didn't think …you had it in you Hummel…" Puck said quietly, his words still somewhat slurred.

"…well, there's a lot you don't know about me, Puck." Kurt said quietly, rejoicing as he felt his hand close on the flashlight. He used its beam of light to locate some of the emergency candles and matches before turning back to where Puck still lounged in the chair, head downcast. His wet clothes dripped and Kurt wondered how the larger teen wasn't freezing.

"Let's get you cleaned up." Kurt heard his voice crack a little. He couldn't help his nerves; he'd never spent this much time in Puck's company…other than when the teen had been dunking his head in a school toilet during middle school. Part of him kept waiting for Puck to return to his former self and beat on him.

"Ok." Was all Puck said, rising unsteadily from the chair.

Kurt gestured for him to follow and led him down into his room. It went well until Puck stumbled on the last step and knocked them both into the concrete wall at the bottom. The flashlight fell from Kurt's hand and rolled. For a second Kurt thought he was done for, that it had all been an act so Puck could get him alone down here to mess him up. He braced himself as he felt Puck knock into him from behind, but there was something different to this shove...it happened so fast that Kurt barely registered it. But as Puck tripped, he reached out and grabbed Kurt around the waist as they fell, turning so that his shoulder hit the concrete instead of Kurt's face. The flashlights small beam cast just enough light for Kurt to see that Puck hadn't been tackling him; he'd actually just saved him from a possible broken nose.

"P…Puck?" He stammered, as the older boy leaned hard against him still holding him tightly around the waist with one strong arm.

"Sorry….tripped…"Puck murmured, the alcohol still apparent on his breath and in his dopey tone.

"Ya, I knew that…"

Kurt could feel the rise and fall of Puck's breath as their chests pressed together, and the water from Puck's clothes soaked through his thin t-shirt. Kurt trembled, whether from the sudden chill or from the way Puck still held him tightly, he wasn't sure.

Puck let go then, launching away to stumble uncertainly into the room. Kurt recomposed himself from the surreal moment and grabbed the flashlight, pointing it at the small bathroom that was connected to his room. Puck took the hint and made his way toward it. Kurt tried to get his head back on straight, he dug through his dresser for a moment until he found a pair of sweatpants that were a couple sizes too large for him, and one of his dad's t-shirts that he had confiscated for sleeping in. He hoped that they would fit Puck, as everything else he owned would be far too small for the broad shouldered teen.

"Here, you can wear this while that dries." Kurt gestured at Puck's wet clothing and handed him the dry clothes and flashlight, then turned away to give him privacy.

While Puck changed, Kurt fumbled his way in the darkness back toward his stairway where he'd dropped the matches and candles he'd brought down. Somehow he managed to find one of each and quickly lit it. The warm glow cast enough light for him to find the others and a few moments later he set up a few candles on his desk and dug out some extra blankets.

"Thanks." Puck's voice was still somewhat low and slurred as he appeared in the bathroom doorway, in dry clothing.

Kurt just nodded over at where he had spread the blankets out on one of the couches. Puck started to walk over but his balance was still off and he stumbled. Without thinking Kurt moved to help. Puck immediately threw an arm over Kurt's shoulders and held on as he guided him toward the sofa.

As he sat down, Puck's hand didn't let go of Kurt's shoulder, causing him to flop down as well beside him. Kurt carefully removed Puck's fingers where they were clenched, and was about to get up when a ragged sigh came from the other boy.

"….everyone hates me…"

Kurt sat still. Puck stared down at the floor, his arm still draped over the back of the couch, but no longer touching him.

"I'm sure that's not true." Kurt finally found his voice. "What about your mom?"

"…my dad…I look like him she says…I remind her of the guy that left her…"

Puck rambled on in broken sentences. "People think I don't care…they think I'm happy this way….but I feel so fuckin lonely….and it hurts!" Puck choked on the last word, his voice cracking.

Kurt tried to remind himself that Puck's confessing was alcohol induced. But he couldn't help but wonder if it was also serving as a truth filter. Was this really the way the school bully felt underneath all that bravado? Suddenly Puck's tormenting took on a whole new light, one Kurt strangely understood. Loneliness could make someone bitter and angry; and it manifested in different ways. Kurt vented his frustrations verbally, often by criticizing others bad fashion sense (in particular a certain Rachel Berry). Puck's vent was physical, exerting power over others.

Kurt turned to stare at the other boy. Despite himself, in that moment, he decided to forgive Noah Puckerman.

"I don't hate you." Kurt said quietly.

Puck's head suddenly snapped up. "Yes you do."

Kurt took a deep breath, lacing and unlacing his fingers together. "Actually, I don't. I _should_…..you and your friends have done horrible things to me. But…hate is a strong word, and it's not how I feel."

Puck stared him down, as if waiting for him to take it back. Kurt forced himself not to cower under the larger boy's stern expression. After a tense moment Puck looked away and Kurt finally let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Thanks." Puck mumbled, his voice still raspy.

"What happened to you tonight Puck?" Kurt ventured to ask the question that had been plaguing him.

He instantly regretted it. Puck's tears suddenly started again, his shoulders hunching forward as if someone had stabbed him. His words were broken and stilted but Kurt managed to make out a few …. "Quinn", "Sam", and "together".

Suddenly it all fell into place. Kurt put the pieces together, realizing that the new couple at school must have made an appearance at whatever party was raging on this Saturday night. Puck had only recently been released from juvenile hall, this must have been the first time he saw them together.

"Oh, that." Kurt wanted to comfort the other boy who seemed so heartbroken. He remembered the agony of watching his crush, Finn, get hurt by the head cheerio, and he recalled the even more painful heart ache of watching Finn fall in love with Rachel. It was excrutiating.

Risking bodily injury, Kurt tentatively reached out to touch Puck's back. "I'm sorry." He murmured.

In the next second two things happened that made Kurt's heart stop. The first was a flash of lightning outside, following by a earsplitting thunderclap. The second was that Noah Puckerman suddenly grabbed onto him like a drowning man who'd just been thrown a life preserver.


	3. Lonely

**Authors Note: I love reviews! They keep me going.**

Kurt had never felt anything like the desperate embrace that Puck held him in. The other teen was both larger and stronger, and with one arm around his shoulders and the other wrapped up around his back Kurt was powerless to move. At first he just froze. In the dim glow of the candlelight, the entire scene felt like something from a bizarre dream. His senses were heightened from anxiety and he could feel Puck's breath against his neck, as well as the sheer heat the other boy exuded. That was what Kurt's attention was drawn to the most. The heat soaked right through his thin pajamas and despite the unfamiliar source Kurt couldn't help but feel warmed all the way to his core. For someone who had been out in the cold rain, and in wet clothes until moments ago…Puck's skin felt like brushing up against a flame.

Kurt wanted to say something, to demand that Puck let go, to ask what was going on, anything. But just as he was about to open his mouth, he felt Puck exhale sharply against his shoulder, the sound broken and ragged.

"Puck?"

"Storms….they suck…" Puck mumbled, Kurt felt the temptation to smile but shoved it away. It was hard to believe such an imposing young man could be bothered by something like a thunderstorm. But from the way Puck grabbed at his shirt, Kurt had a feeling that the rain wasn't the real reason he'd embraced him.

"I know what it's like ….being lonely…" Kurt murmured gently, bringing the subject back to what Puck had said moments ago.

The other boy tensed up against him for a second, his breath hitching.

"It hurts…damnit….sometimes I feel like I can't breathe…." Puck choked, the words still slightly slurred as he flexed his hands against Kurt's t-shirt.

Kurt felt something inside him shift and he relaxed a little against Puck's tight hold. Against his better judgment he lifted a hand and placed on the back of Puck's shoulder, returning the embrace. In spite of himself he leaned into Puck's hug and soaked up the feeling of being held, being needed even if only for a moment.

"It's okay." Was all he could manage, but for whatever reason it seemed to calm Puck. Kurt felt the shaky sobs begin to subside against him, but Puck's hold did not lessen.

Time slowed down as Kurt just sat still, waiting. The sound of the rain drummed against the small high windows of his room and the candles on his desk flickered gently. He thought about how the evening had seemed so blessedly normal until about an hour ago. It had gone from the mundane to the insane fairly quickly.

Puck's grip slowly began to relax and Kurt still sat very still. Part of him kept waiting for Puck to 'wake up' from his alcohol induced depression and freak out. But even as the minutes ticked by, that didn't happen. After what seemed like an eternity to Kurt, Puck released him and leaned back against the couch slowly.

"You okay now?" Kurt asked gently.

Puck's gaze was down.

"I'm never okay….." Puck mumbled, then turned that lidded stare back on him. Kurt watched as Puck looked over his face, finally locking gazes with him. What Kurt saw in his face perplexed him, Puck was staring at him as if he was trying to figure something out. "You know…." Puck mumbled, leaning his head down on the couch arm. "….you're not half bad Hummel…thanks…"

Kurt slowly rose from the sofa as he could tell that Puck was on the verge of passing out. He grabbed one of the extra pillows off his bed and brought it over. Puck took it gratefully.

"Thanks for what?" Kurt heard himself asking as he turned away.

"… for being …." Puck's voice faded out, and Kurt suddenly realized that he'd been hanging on each and every word. He glanced over at Puck and saw that he'd fallen asleep mid-sentence.

Kurt retrieved the flashlight and moved to blow out the candles he'd lit, he sighed as he pulled the extra blanket over Puck's shoulders and then moved to climb into his own bed. He didn't know how he was going to explain Puck's presence to his dad in the morning, but he would think of something. When he'd brought the other boy in out of the rain, he hadn't expected him to stay long, but Puck's lonely confession had been too much, too honest…plus it had seemed to Kurt that the fallen jock truly had no place to go.

PUCK

Puck's sense of smell was the first thing to wake up. The scent of something cooking. At first he tried to ignore it and buried his face in the pillow. But then he noticed something else, the pillow wasn't his. His pillow at home was in need of replacing, being rather flat and misshapen. This pillow was fluffy and soft and smelled like some kind of fancy detergent. Puck leaned up on his elbows and cautiously opened one eye.

The room he found himself in was dimly lit, as not much light fell through the high small windows. The light that did make it in was a dismal gray and Puck could hear that it was still pouring rain. He vaguely remembered walking in it the night before….._where had he gone…._

He glanced around the rest of the room…._white, what the hell was with all this damn white?_ For a fraction of a second Puck wondered if he'd gotten himself committed somehow. Then as his eyes drifted around the room he caught sight of something that slammed the memory to the surface. On a desk nearby sat a handful of half burned candles and a flashlight….._flashlight_!

Puck bolted upright into a sitting position, wincing as pain exploded behind his temples. The night before suddenly appeared in his mind with clarity: Sam and Quinn, his flight in the rain, falling in the mud, and someone helping him up. Kurt Hummel!

The bed on the other side of the room was empty, the sheets still rumpled. Puck smirked, he'd have figured Hummel for the type of guy to immediately make his bed every morning. Sweeping his eyes around the room, he saw no sign of the other boy. He looked toward the narrow staircase that extended up toward a slightly open door, he vaguely remembered something about tripping down them in the dark. More memories continued to surface as he rubbed his temples, Kurt letting him stay despite the fact that Puck had never been anything other than horrible to him, Kurt loaning him clothes to sleep in, blankets. Guilt washed through him, had Hummel been like anyone else he would have used the jock's weakness as a revenge vehicle. Instead Kurt had _taken care of him_…it filled Puck with a mix of bizarre feeling. No one had taken care of him in a long time. His mother was normally exhausted and had her hands full just trying to deal with her own life and keep an eye on her younger child. Puck was always left on his own.

He swung his legs over the side of the sofa onto the plush white carpet. He rubbed his cheeks, feeling the residue there of….tears? The last hazy memory came into focus…_crying…. Oh dear God_…he'd _cried_ in front Kurt, rambling about his mom, Quinn, all the secret hurt that he normally bottled up and buried inside…he'd spilled it right into Kurt's hands. Puck closed his eyes and dropped his face into his open palms. He remembered the thunder and grabbing Kurt, sobbing into his shoulder. And what had Hummel done then? Puck's chest constricted with the memory, Hummel hadn't laughed or told him to shut up, Kurt had simply hugged him back and let him cry.

Suddenly Puck's eyes felt hot, embarrassment flushed his cheeks, he never showed that side of himself to anyone, not even his little sister. He kept that part himself buried under the floorboard of his mind. But the problem with doing that to his feelings was that they occasionally exploded out of him. Normally he was alone when that happened, but not this time.

He had never planned for anyone to see that secret pain…least of all Kurt Hummel, the kid who he and his teammates made a hobby out of teasing. He sighed and made a decision in that moment, despite his pounding headache… he was not going to let the football team, or anyone else, mess with Kurt anymore.


	4. Morning After

KURT

"So, let me make sure I understand this son….that Puckerman kid is asleep in your room? The same kid who, you told me, used to throw you in the dumpster?" Burt Hummel's brow furrowed as he sat at the kitchen table, watching his son whip something in bowl.

"Yes dad, it's the same guy, although he hasn't done that in a while." Kurt put more speed into the motion of whipping the waffle batter. He knew it made no sense, he was at a loss for why he'd done it himself.

"He was outside, just sitting there in the rain…" Kurt left out the part about Puck crying, something about that seemed too private. "…I don't think he had anywhere else to go."

Burt rubbed a hand over his face. "He didn't mess with you? Threaten you into letting him crash here?"

"No, not at all. I think he was too worn out and….confused." Kurt poured the orange tinted batter onto the waiting waffle iron.

"By confused, do you mean drunk?" Burt cut right through his son's evasive language.

Kurt sighed quietly. "Yes, he was intoxicated."

Burt tried to stay composed, placing his palms flat on the table. "Look at me Kurt and tell me exactly what happened."

Kurt closed the waffle iron and turned to face his father. He knew his dad was worried, he would have been too if the positions had been reversed. Kurt knew just how crazy the whole night sounded, even without the details of Puck's tearful confession.

"Dad…all I know is that he was out there, sitting alone in the mud…he was…" Kurt fumbled for words. "..upset …with nowhere to go, and it was raining. I couldn't just walk away."

Kurt watched as his dad studied his face, looking for a lie. But after a moment Burt relaxed and sighed, a small smile lighting his features.

"You are so much like your mother." He said gently.

Kurt felt that familiar lump in his throat, the one that always appeared whenever he thought about his Mom.

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked as he turned back to the counter to finish chopping up the fruit he'd laid out.

"You were too young to remember, but she could never turn away a stray. Any animal that showed up with a needy look, she swept up and nursed back to health. Cats, dogs, hell…one year it was even a baby bird she found." Burt laughed at the memory.

Kurt smiled, he did remember the bird. His mom had been so careful, she'd held him up to see the makeshift nest she made in a box in the garage. She'd explained that they couldn't touch the bird for fear that its mother would reject it when she came back. Kurt drew in a deep breath, feeling that deep ache of missing his mom, he had a feeling she would understand exactly why he took Puck in.

"I'll let it slide this time, but I'm going to tell you the same thing I used to tell her about strays Kurt."

"And what's that Dad?"

"Be careful, just because a creature needs you doesn't mean they won't bite, some just don't know any other way." Burt said pointedly.

PUCK

Puck debated over what he should do. After some investigating, he discovered his clothing in the adjoining bathroom, it was still muddy and damp in a pile in the shower stall. He thought about changing and trying to make a fast exit. He wasn't sure what Kurt or his father would be thinking of his behavior the night before. But as he pondered the idea, he grimaced at the thought of putting on his wet dirty clothing. The sweats and shirt Kurt had loaned him were comfortable and dry and the smell of whatever was cooking upstairs was so inviting.

Puck decided to chance facing the Hummels. He slowly made his way up the narrow staircase to where the door stood slightly open. It led out into a hallway in the Hummel house; up here the delicious scent attacked Puck's senses more fully. He followed it down the hallway toward the kitchen. He stopped as heard the hushed voices of Kurt and his father talking.

"Be careful….just because …needs you doesn't mean they won't bite…" Puck heard, and he didn't need many guesses to know that Hummel senior was probably talking about him.

Puck thought for a moment about the last 12 hours. He knew what people thought of him, and he was pretty sure that Burt Hummel had heard about Kurt's many dumpster tosses at Puck's hand. He was probably as surprised as Puck was with Kurt's kindness toward him. He didn't blame the older man for assuming the worst, but Puck did intend to prove him wrong.

Puck took a deep breath, waited a few moments so as not to alert the two men that he had heard them, and then shuffled into the warmly lit room. Burt Hummel sat at the small table, while Kurt stood at the counter, tossing something in bowl. Puck felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth as he surveyed Kurt's pajamas, the tight tee and oversized plaid flannels. He'd never seen Kurt Hummel look so _casual_…even his hair wasn't combed yet, with a few cowlicks flipping up in the back.

"Morning." Puck tried to smile, despite the pounding headache that had taken up residence in his brain.

Kurt dropped the spoon in his hand onto the counter with a loud clang. Puck's smile faltered, maybe he_ should_ have just ditched out? Burt Hummel stared at him for a long moment, the two men sizing each other up. Finally the older man gave him a tight smile and gestured at one of the empty chairs.

"You must be the Puckerman kid?"

"Yeah."

"Kurt told me you needed a place to crash last night. Everything all right?" Burt's words held a double meaning that wasn't lost on Puck. Kurt's father was asking him not only if he was okay, but if he posed any threat to his son.

"Other than a bad hangover, everything's fine." Puck murmured, surprised that he was being so honest. Something about Burt Hummel plainly said that he would know if he was lying so he just laid it out. "Kurt took pity on me."

Kurt had turned around now and was watching the exchange between the two men with wide blue eyes. Puck nodded at him, locking their gazes. "If I didn't say it last night, thanks….." Puck paused for a moment, then thought if he'd gone this far, no loss in going the rest of the way. "….thanks for everything."

Kurt nodded slowly.

"Waffle's burning Kurt." Burt interrupted.

"Oh! Damn!" Kurt jumped back into action, whipping the dark colored waffle out of the machine and into the garbage disposal. He quickly poured fresh batter onto the iron and reached for plates from the cabinet.

Whatever Kurt was working on had filled the house with a warm inviting scent and Puck drew in a deep breath. His mother rarely ever cooked, and if she did have the time, it normally wasn't very involved. Mae Hunter (she'd legally dropped the last name of Puckerman a year after his dad had run off) worked herself to exhaustion to provide for the family, but it left little time for her to be domestic. And while Puck appreciated what his mother went through to keep a roof over their head he sometimes wondered what it would be like to have that kind of fantasy parent, one who cooked, cleaned, and folded laundry for you.

His head throbbed mildly and he rubbed at his temples trying to relieve the ache. He didn't pay much attention as Burt Hummel rose and rummaged through the fridge for a moment. He did hear Kurt's chiding voice. "Dad, I'm almost done here, can't you wait?"

"Chill out son, I'm not about to pass up whatever you've got going there. This is for …." Burt swung his eyes toward Puck. "Puckerman…you got a first name there?"

Puck looked up. "Yeah….Noah." It felt weird as he said his own first name, he'd gone by his nickname for years, so much so that even his teachers knew him by it. No one had thought to ask about the 'N' before his name in a long time.

Burt nodded and began stirring random ingredients in a large glass. Puck had to chuckle at the shocked and disgusted look on Kurt's face as he watched his dad pour ingredients into the tall cup.

"Pickle juice?" Kurt's voice squeaked up an octave in horror.

"Yes son, don't ask. Watch your waffles before another one burns." Burt chuckled stirring the liquid with a spoon. He moved to set the tall glass in front of Puck with a smirk.

"Don't think about what it tastes like, just drink the whole thing quickly. It will help."

Puck stared at the glass, it looked like a harmless glass of orange juice, but after Kurt's squawk of disgust over the other ingredients he was hesitant. He flicked his gaze toward the other boy who it seemed was doing his best to avoid looking at him directly. Kurt bustled around the counter, filling plates and washing dishes.

"You sure?" Puck lifted the glass and glanced back at Burt.

"Son, I partied my share as a younger man. Just drink it."

His head throbbed as if in agreement. "All right, bottoms up." Puck quickly lifted the glass to his lips and downed the sweet, yet briny tasting drink. The mix of whatever was in it wasn't exactly appetizing but not nearly as horrible as Kurt had made him think either.

Kurt turned back toward them and, as deftly as a waiter in a restaurant, served up three plates of steaming waffles, bacon and fruit. Puck felt his stomach growl. It all smelled heavenly, and he felt baffled by the unfamiliar feeling of home that he was suddenly swamped with. Kurt in his rumpled pajamas, the pouring rain outside that contrasted the warm homey kitchen filled with delicious smells. His house was never like this, not even when his dad had been around. It made his eyes prick, but Puck chewed his lower lip hard, he was _not_ about to start crying again.

_It's just breakfast….get over it_. His mind argued, as Kurt swiped his glass, then returned it a moment later filled with more orange liquid. He looked up at the smaller boy for a second.

Kurt offered a tiny smile. "Plain OJ this time."

KURT

The sound of Puck's voice startled Kurt so much that he dropped the spoon onto the counter. Truth be told he'd been completely off kilter since the moment he'd woken up and found Puck snoring on his sofa. Not that he'd forgotten, he'd been painfully aware of Puck's presence throughout the night. He'd been plagued by a fear that the jock would awaken and pound him to keep him quiet about the night before. But as much as he tossed and turned with that fear, it proved groundless as Puck simply slept soundly the rest of the night.

The sound of the rain still pouring down woke Kurt around 8:30 am, and since Puck seemed to be still snoring peacefully he'd crept upstairs to start on breakfast. On Sunday mornings Kurt liked to continue his mom's tradition of making something a little special. As he'd flipped through one of his mom's recipe books, he thought about what Puck had said the night before. He'd found it impossible to shake that broken confession… "sometimes I feel like I can't breathe…." Puck's voice had twanged nerves inside Kurt with that statement.

_Wait no…..I can't stand Puckerman…he and his friends…._ Kurt tried to shake the direction that his thoughts had taken. He tried to remind himself how mean Puck had been to him before they'd become uneasy friends in Glee club. His brain though, kept returning to the desperate grab that Puck had made for him last night. He felt somewhat haunted by it. He could still remember the heat of Puck's arms holding him so tightly. And despite all his misgivings Kurt felt some secret part of his soul stirring with a feeling other than anger or bitterness towards the other boy.

40 minutes or so later, as he handed out the plates of food Kurt caught Puck staring at him with an unreadable expression. He watched as Puck tentatively took a bite out of the pumpkin waffles, sighing in unmistakable delight before he dug in with gusto.

Kurt grinned shyly down at his own plate. He felt his dad's curious gaze and looked up to see him watching with an analytical stare.

"What?"

"Nothing…" Burt mumbled, taking another bite. "…thought you weren't letting me eat bacon."

Kurt knew that was not why his dad was eyeing him, but he played along. "It's turkey bacon."

Puck laughed.


	5. Switch

KURT

It was shaping up to be a typical Monday morning. Kurt tried to keep his mind in the present and off of the bizarre weekend he had just come from. His mind kept returning to the fact that he had spent the better part of it in the company of someone who he used to fear. Puck had polished off two helpings at breakfast and then had proceeded to stay for a couple more hours while his clothes got washed and dried. He'd even helped Kurt with his chores, offering to vacuum the stairs where he'd tracked in some dirt the night before. The whole thing was surreal.

The whole morning Kurt had wanted to ask Puck so many questions. W_hy was he there? Why did he stay? And had he really meant all those things he had said the night before? _But he chickened out and simply chattered about Glee and school, and other mundane topics. Although Kurt did take care to avoid any mention of Quinn, Sam, or the party on Saturday night.

Puck's impromptu stay had ended when Kurt drove him to pick up his truck a few hours later. The rain had stopped for a brief time but the skies had still been dark and overcast. When they finally found the house where Puck had left it parked he had been reluctant to get out of Kurt's car, but had done so with a brief "thanks again" and then had driven away in his truck.

His dad had run him through the third degree as soon as he'd arrived home, but Kurt still had no answers for the strange change in Puck's attitude. He wondered if it had something to do with the time he spent in juvenile hall, or perhaps seeing the reality of Quinn moving on was too much. Because the main word that kept coming back to Kurt as he'd watched Puck that morning was 'broken'. The tall, normally imposing' jock had just seemed deflated and in pieces.

"Hey Hummel!" The loud catcall yanked Kurt out of his reverie and he turned to see a particularly large jock headed his way with a full slushie, top off. Kurt pretended he hadn't heard and took a deep breath as he started to walk faster, weaving his way through the crowded hall. Normally running was fruitless when it came to getting slushied, there was usually another jock in wait around the corner. Sure enough as he made the turn he saw another letterman jacket waiting, slushie in hand. Kurt skidded to a halt and braced himself for the cold shock.

But it didn't come.

"Breathe Kurt." The voice commanded softly. Kurt blinked and realized that the jacket belonged to Puck. Kurt wanted to feel relief, but Puck was still holding a slushie cup, and those other thugs were probably closing in. Despite what had happened that weekend, Kurt wasn't too sure he trusted Puckerman.

"They're….coming…." Kurt stuttered, still surprised that Puck hadn't dumped the drink on him yet.

Puck grinned for a moment, flashing that killer smile that made so many female hearts flutter. If Kurt hadn't feared for his clothing he might have found it attractive too, but right now there wasn't time.

"Go…." Puck gestured toward the choir room door behind him. "But watch…you'll like this."

Kurt followed orders, darting through the doorway. He closed the door, but peeked through the small glass pane. Karofsky came flying around the corner, expecting to find Kurt there already dripping. Instead, right as he came around, Puck kicked his bag, on the ground, forward a notch. Karofsky went down, and came up sputtering, blueberry flavor painting his front.

Kurt clapped a hand over his mouth to keep in his delighted squeak. Puck glanced over his shoulder for a split second, just long enough to catch Kurt's eye through the glass. Then he did the unthinkable.

Noah Puckerman winked at him.

PUCK

As soon as he saw Kurt darting around the corner, Puck knew one of the guys was after him. He'd seen that frantic look on Kurt's face many times just before he'd been tossed in the dumpster, or slushied. Puck felt a stab of guilt for those other times when he'd participated in the other teens' humiliation. The knife twisted a little deeper as Kurt stopped in front of him and closed his eyes tightly, bracing for the slushie he thought was coming.

Puck smiled for a moment. Kurt's twisted grimace pained him, especially since he noticed the other boy held his breath.

"Breathe Kurt."

Puck was rewarded by bright blue stare of shock, Kurt's expression jumped between awe and disbelief. Puck thought about just ushering Kurt down the hallway to expedite his escape, but then grinned as brain concocted a better idea.

He quickly directed Kurt through the door behind him and waited for Karofsky to come around the corner. Quickly he kicked his backpack into the other jocks path, watching as the large teen went tumbling down, spilling the slushie intended for Kurt all over himself. Puck laughed, looking through the door window to see Kurt, covering his mouth. For a second he was concerned, but the light in those blue eyes was amusement this time. Puck couldn't help himself, it felt kind of good to be the hero vs. the villain. Before he could think about it, he winked at the smaller boy.

"What the hell Puckerman?" Karofsky came up yelling. Puck quickly turned back to the hallway.

"It's not my fault you're a klutz dude." Puck shrugged.

"I was after the fairy!" Karofsky swore under his breath as he wiped off his face.

Puck felt his blood boil a little at the slur. "He's got a name you know." Puck growled.

Karofsky stopped short, giving Puck a questioning stare. "Since when do you care Puckerman?"

"Since now, back off." Puck tried to seem nonchalant, but inside he was spinning. His reaction to the other jock's name calling had been swift and intense, it had surprised him just how intense.

"Is that why you let him go?" Karofsky challenged, glancing at the lidded slushie that Puck still held.

"Maybe,…."Puck tried to control his response with a smug smile. "Maybe I just felt like drinking mine this time." He took a long swig to prove it and swooped up his bag. One more glance over his shoulder assured him that Kurt had safely fled out the choir room's other exit. Then he turned back to his dripping teammate.

"You look good in blue by the way!" He laughed, and headed to his next class, leaving Karofsky to grumble his way down the hall.

KURT

Kurt watched for a moment more, just long enough to get a glimpse of Karofsky coming up covered in blue slushie. He wanted to laugh, but in truth he was a little too shocked by the sudden switch up. Noah Puckerman had just saved him from getting slushied? And not only that, he had taken down one of his own to do it! To top it all off, the handsome jock had just _winked_ at him. Kurt reeled from the sudden switch, and quickly fled out the choir room's other exit. This one led into the auditorium, which Kurt was relieved to find empty. He quickly grabbed a seat in one of the darker corners and dug his ipod out of his bag.

He knew he was missing math, but he was acing that class, and he didn't want to risk running into Karofsky again, not after Puck had just humiliated him. Kurt had a feeling the large jock wouldn't let him escape in one piece after that. He fitted his headphones into his ears and hit the shuffle button. The soothing tones lulled him into a calmer state as he tried to think.

Kurt hadn't been this mixed up in a long time. Noah Puckerman had managed to flip his world on its axis over the last 48 hours and he wasn't sure what to make of it. He had thought that Puck's change of heart over the weekend wouldn't last. Or at the most that Puck might let him go a week or two without a trip to the dumpster as repayment. He had NOT expected Noah to risk the wrath of his teammates for him the very next day back.

_ Wait, Noah?_ Kurt chided himself inwardly, rubbing at his temple. _Now I'm thinking of him on a first name basis? That's just great._

Kurt closed his eyes and tried to slouch down in the seat to get more comfortable. His brain ached from trying to make sense of all this and he was tired. He lolled his head back against the chair, too mixed up to think about the fact that his perfect hair could get mussed. He recalled his disastrous crush on Finn the year before, he'd been so thankful when it had finally abated over the summer. Falling for Finn had been a mistake in every way as it had caused Kurt to embarrass himself multiple times, and had eventually led to that horrible fight in the basement. While he'd been glad on some level to have his father champion him like that, he'd been completely leveled by Finn's outburst.

He and Finn had barely talked, they'd coexisted when their parents mingling had put them in the same room, a brief peace had been reached. But once Kurt's feelings for Finn had finally abated, he was left with the embarrassing reality of all the advances he'd made over the year and hadn't been eager to remember. The two boys now rarely crossed paths except for Glee. Much like Finn and Puck, that relationship had been shattered last year as well. The former best friends had not bridged the rift that had developed between them. Like Kurt and Finn, the two coexisted without comment. He couldn't help thinking back to Puck's confession the other night. It was no wonder Noah was lonely, he'd lost the girl, his child, his best friend….all of it.

_Stop it_! Kurt chided himself as he closed his eyes. But as he drifted off to the soothing lull of his headphones, an image of Puck's face flashed behind his eyes.


	6. Spinning

Kurt was still spinning slightly when he made it to glee that afternoon. He immediately drifted to his usual seat in the back row beside Mercedes. She was waiting, a concerned look on her face.

"All right white boy, spill it."

"What are you talking about?"

His best friend gave him the look, the 'don't-even-try' look. Kurt sighed.

"Well for starters, you missed math…and as much as I love you Kurt, you are just a little too uptight to ditch class usually."

Kurt straightened his shoulders a little, but he knew she meant nothing by it. When he didn't answer, she continued. "And you never called on Sunday to let me know if you found a match for that shirt we picked out."

He'd completely forgotten that he had been supposed to call her back. He looked down at his shoes for a moment and pretended to rub at an imaginary scuff mark. This whole Puck thing had him way more off kilter than he wanted to admit. And as much as Kurt wanted to dish the whole thing out to his friend, he did not, due to the rest of glee club being in hearing distance.

"I think I'm coming down with something actually," he lied. "I wasn't feeling well yesterday, that's why I forgot to call. And then I actually skipped math to take a nap." _Well, at least the 2__nd__ part is true_, he thought.

"Sorry I'm late." Puck's voice cut through the noise and Kurt couldn't help but look as he made his way toward one of the front seats. He bit his lip as he saw that no one really acknowledged the boys arrival. Puck's grin faded quickly as he sat down and Kurt couldn't help himself.

"Welcome back." He said, a little louder than he'd intended. Puck turned to look over his shoulder, locking gazes with Kurt for a fraction of a second. Kurt held his breath, awaiting the insult that usually came.

But like this mornings' slushie facial, the insult didn't come. Only a faint smile and a nod from Puck before their teacher loudly demanded attention.

"All right guys, listen up!"

"Since you guys did such an amazing job with the duets assignment, I'm going to have you pair up again for this next challenge. This week, the key is choosing songs based on lyrics. I want each team to really explore the meaning of the lyrics in their choice of song, get at the true emotion of each piece and see how well you can convey that to an audience." Mister Shue went on to further explain that the band was taking the week off and the students would be limited to the instruments that they themselves could play, or they could perform accapella.

Everyone began to chatter excitedly about ideas, Rachel Berry was the loudest, clutching her boyfriends hand and rattling off song titles at the speed of a freight train. Kurt sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, this assignment was going to be just like the last one…where he would be the only one without a partner, again. As much as he loved Glee, he was beginning to feel excluded and it stung. While the others appreciated his voice and talent in the group as a whole, his sexuality kept them at arms length, as if they were afraid he would either infect them, or just injure their reputation. As he listened to their excited prattling, he wrapped his arms around himself and tried to be numb, but deep down it still hurt.

"Wait, wait guys!" Mister Shue called, quieting the buzz. "To switch it up a bit, I'm going to ask that you all find different partners from who you worked with last time."

Kurt opened his eyes, seeing the slightly deflated look on the faces of his peers. But as he tightened his arms across his chest, he knew that this clause didn't really apply to him as he was most likely working alone anyway.

He watched as Quinn quickly jumped from her first choice of Sam to Mercedes. Those two had become quite close when Quinn had lived with her last year and he was not surprised to see the head cheerio reach out to her former roommate. Artie paired up with Finn this time, leaving Rachel to drift into partnering with Tina. Santana grabbed onto Brittany's hand, trying to patch up their damaged friendship by choosing her friend first this time. Sam and Mike were left and gravitated toward each other.

Kurt leaned back in his chair and tried to ignore the fact that as they all paired up, none of them had even looked his way or remembered that he was there. He felt his eyes begin to burn and for the first time this year, Kurt Hummel wanted to be anywhere but in Glee club.

PUCK

Puck felt nervous as he walked into Glee. He had been gone from the club for a couple weeks due to his stint in juvenile hall. Despite his cocky demeanor that he projected, Puck actually enjoyed Glee most of the time. It was the one point in his day where he felt free enough to lose some of his manufactured bravado and just be himself. Normally he was so focused on being the hotshot jock with the bad attitude that his true self got squelched and squished to the side. And one thing that he was finally getting comfortable admitting was that he really liked to sing.

As he entered the room, he saw the few surprised faces, but no one said anything. Rachel gave him a timid smile, but quickly returned to talking Finn's ear off. No one else said anything and Puck took a quick seat in the front, trying not to let it show that it bothered him. He knew that his former best friend wouldn't acknowledge him directly, he'd slowly accepted the fact that he'd lost Finn as a close friend permanently. And Quinn….Puck's hesitant smile dissipated as she didn't even give him a passing glance. He looked down at the floor, wondering if maybe it would be better if he had just stayed away.

Just as he was about to get up and leave, he heard one voice…a voice that spoke directly to him. "Welcome back."

Puck looked over his shoulder to see the same blue gaze that he'd been faced with that morning. Kurt was looking right at him, with a small smile. His friend was looking at him as if he'd gone mad, but Puck's smile slowly returned as he nodded at Kurt. _At least someone gave a damn that I came back_…He began to feel just that little bit better.

He was distracted then by Mr. Shue's announcement about the project this week. He'd heard something about how the group had paired off to compete with duets, and through the grapevine, as well at the mouthy afro kids' blog, he'd heard that it had been a pretty heated battle. When Shue commanded that everyone had to pick new partners, he watched silently as everyone chose their mates. No one looked his way. He heard a small sigh from the back row and looked over to see Kurt, hugging himself and staring at the floor. His expression looked pained, and like he was near tears. It didn't take much for Puck to put two and two together, Hummel had worked alone for the last assignment he guessed, with the odd numbers that week. And while he'd been sitting there feeling left out, it was painfully obvious that Kurt was going through the same thing.

Puck debated for a moment, turning back away and chewing his bottom lip. The chatter around him continued as everyone babbled about song choices and arrangements. He risked another glance in Kurt's direction and saw as the pale boy tried to hide the glassy tears that shone in his blue eyes. As he watched, one tear escaped and ran down his cheek. Puck's chest constricted. _Fuck it…._

Puck moved into the empty chair beside Kurt, who quickly wiped at his eyes, but didn't look up .Puck reached out to gently tug on the thin scarf that Kurt wore. Instantly he was met with a shocked stare.

"Be mine?"

Kurt's mouth fell open and Puck caught his linguistic slip. "Partners? For the assignment, I don't have one either."

"Oh….." Kurt's expression flickered from shock, to disbelief, to skepticism, and back to shock. "…yeah, okay."

"I just thought…." Puck faltered for a moment, not used to feeling so out of his element. "I don't know too much about lyrics, but I can play guitar." He offered.

Kurt nodded, and Puck had to smile at the bewildered expression on the other boy's face, at least his eyes were clear now. Puck didn't want to admit it, but seeing Hummel cry was suddenly a lot harder than it had been a few days ago.

KURT

Kurt had to fight to pay attention as he drove home that night. His mind spun frantically, like a car with it's wheels slipping in the mud. Noah Puckerman had completely lost it, that was the only explanation he could come up with. Either that or aliens had abducted him at some point on Saturday and replaced him with a copy. A copy that wasn't a huge hulking jerk…a Puck-clone that actually seemed human, caring and considerate…_and attractive_.

"Shut Up!" Kurt yelled at himself, safe in the confines of his Navigator. He was nearly home and still no closer to figuring out what the hell had happened this afternoon in Glee club.

He tried to go over it one more time in his head. He'd been in the back, trying in vain NOT to cry, while everyone else had paired off for the new assignment. He'd wanted to say the hell with all of them for being inconsiderate but in reality the exclusion had hurt a bit too much for him to shrug off. He'd hoped that no one would notice his emotional reaction until he got it under control. He'd even been half tempted to just bolt from the room. But suddenly he'd heard the sound of a chair scraping and a form had sat down beside him.

Embarrassed, Kurt hadn't looked to see who it was. He'd guessed maybe Mercedes, or Mr. Shue. But then he'd felt the gentle tug on his scarf. He'd wiped his eyes then, hoping to erase the evidence of his melancholy.

"Be mine?"

Kurt's heart had stopped. That phrase, which was most often reserved for lovers or valentine cards. Kurt had never had it said to him….ever. And coming from _Noah_, it took a full second for his heart to start again, but when it did the rhythm was all wrong…much too fast. _Why the hell was it with that phrase? And while he was questioning things…why the hell was it that Noah Puckerman was suddenly able to make him so crazy?_

He'd looked right into Puck's eyes then. The other teen was looking right into his face and was wearing a small smirk. Kurt hadn't been able to form a response. Puck had then stammered an explanation about wanting to be partners…and something about a guitar. Kurt hadn't quite heard all of it, he was too wrapped up in hearing those two words coming from the boy who had apparently decided to make a habit out of shocking the hell out of him.

He'd agreed, perhaps a little too quickly, but Noah didn't appear to notice.

When Mr. Shue had asked for a list of the teams, Puck had answered, very clearly that he was teaming up with Kurt. That had made him smile, Noah hadn't been ashamed to say who his partner was, unlike most anyone else at school that had been forced into working with him on assignments.

Kurt gripped the steering wheel of his car tightly, knuckles white. He forced himself to stare at the road, even as his mind continued to ramble. In attempt to be less crazy, he started to sort it out .

_I can't start crushing on another straight jock!_

Part of him disagreed, as he remembered just how good it had felt when Puck had grabbed onto him that night. Those strong arms holding him so tight….so close against Noah's warmth. Kurt felt a stirring inside at the memory. It was hard enough to deal with the aching loneliness of knowing that love wasn't yours to have (at least not in a small town like Lima)..but being teased with a hint of what it could feel like….that was bordering on excruciating.

Kurt finally parked in his driveway, relieved he had made it. As he cut the engine, he leaned his head back against the seat. He wished silently for someone to talk to about all this. Finn was out of the question, for several reasons, the girls wouldn't understand, and he wasn't sure about bringing it up to his dad. The two had already had one uncomfortable talk about gay crushes on straight guys, it hadn't gone well.

Kurt sighed and made a promise to himself as he got out of the car. He vowed to stop freaking out about all of this business with Noah and just do the assignment. Once that was done, they would go back to their normal interactions, he thought. No more confusion. Yes, that was how it would go.

But as Kurt regained his composure and let himself in…some deep part of his soul twisted painfully, whispering that it was far from over yet.


	7. Flicker

KURT

It was Wednesday evening. It had now been 4 days since "Puck" had done his schizophrenic routine and morphed into the boy that Kurt was referring to in his head as 'Noah'. After his freak on Monday afternoon, Kurt figured that things would slowly start reverting back to normal. He wondered if Noah thought that after Saturday night Kurt had too much dirt on him, so he'd been nice. But that excuse had fallen flat as the 'Puck' side of Noah had yet to return, at least where Kurt was concerned.

In the last 3 days he'd been spared the usual dumpster dives or slushies. His designer clothes had made through unscathed, and in general he was left alone by his usual tormentors. There were still the verbal jeers that he was accustomed to, and some namecalling. But no one had touched him yet that week, Kurt knew it had to have something to do with Noah. The jocks never just 'gave up' on him like they did some of their other targets. He was always prime bullying material, no matter the season. And despite the fact that it further fueled his inner conflict, Kurt was grateful.

One thing that was helping him maintain his calm, and keep his vow not to keep freaking out, was the fact that he hadn't really seen Noah much since Monday afternoon. Here and there in passing, but not much passed between them other than a small smile or a nod. And while it reeked of the normalcy that Kurt had expected, he was slightly disappointed as well.

While the Noah problem had died down a bit for the time being, Kurt had been faced with another change that worried him. His father had been cleared on Monday to return to work, but with less hours and explicit instructions to take it as easy as possible. While Burt Hummel had been thrilled, Kurt had been less than. His father's health scare had frightened him deeply. He depended on his dad, and the man's brush with death was sobering for his only son.

Kurt had finished his homework quickly that afternoon and was concocting a plan for dinner. But as he decided on a recipe, he realized he would need to run to the grocery store for some of the ingredients. He jotted down a list and grabbed his bag and keys, hoping that his dad wouldn't beat him home.

As Kurt swung open the front door, he stopped short. Noah Puckerman stood on his porch, a guitar case slung over one shoulder, looking surprised. Kurt just stared, completely unprepared for the encounter.

"Hey Kurt…I was just about to knock." Noah looked slightly uncomfortable under Kurt's shocked stare, but he continued. "I just thought…we should work on that assignment for Glee. I would have called first…but I don't have your number."

"Oh…ya…I was just… I mean I was going…." Kurt babbled.

"Why don't you pick a sentence and finish it?" Puck's face relaxed a little into a teasing grin.

Kurt smirked, it figured that Noah would be perfectly calm while he was a stuttering ball of nerves. He took a deep breath. "I was just going to run to the store."

Puck's smile faded. "Oh…well maybe later than….sorry." He turned to go.

Kurt stood frozen for another second, but as he saw Puck's face fall, something inside shifted uncomfortably.

"No wait!" He said, too loudly. Without thinking he reached out to grab a hold of the other boy to stop him. The closest part of him was his open hand which Kurt caught and held tightly.

Noah stopped walking, but didn't turn back for a moment. Kurt instantly felt that he'd done the wrong thing by touching him. But as he moved to let go, Puck's fingers curled around his own.

"I…..we do need to work…the store won't take long. Why don't you come with me? Then we could work while I make dinner." Kurt babbled, his eyes unable to look away from where Puck's hand still held his. His hand looked even more pale than usual against the contrast of Puck's tanned fingers. The other boys skin was warm, almost hot to the touch. If he had been anyone else Kurt might have assumed he had a fever, but not Noah. He just seemed to radiate heat and warmth, like it was his natural setting. Kurt's nerve endings sparked at the prolonged contact, just as they had on Saturday night. When you had grown accustomed to no physical contact, every little bit felt electric.

Noah didn't respond for a moment, and the two stood there on Kurt's front porch silent.

"You sure?" Puck finally spoke.

"Yes, it's fine. Stay." Kurt's voice was barely above a whisper. The moment was surreal and he was afraid that if he spoke too loudly, he'd ruin it.

"Okay. I'll drive." Puck turned his head to look at Kurt, and offered him a small smile before squeezing his hand then letting it drop as he walked toward his truck. Kurt stood still for a second more, his hand still tingling from the contact.

"You coming Hummel?"

"Yes!"

a

a

PUCK

He hadn't known what to expect when he'd shown up on Kurt Hummel's doorstep. He just knew that he wanted to see the other boy. It had been a couple days since they had talked at all, and he found himself craving the company. It had thrown him, ever since Sunday he had felt off. Normally he had no trouble slipping on his normal persona of 'Puck' for school. But something about what happened to him on Saturday night had changed the ease of that disguise. It didn't fit quite right anymore.

He'd had the good excuse of needing to get together to work on their lyric project. Kurt was his partner after all. He was unsure of how to broach the subject, and he'd gotten sidetracked after school. When he realized that he didn't know the other teens phone number, he fell back on the one piece of information he did know…where Kurt lived. He'd gone home to grab his guitar and then risked just showing up.

He'd been standing there for a moment, debating on whether this was right move. He wasn't use to feeling so out of control of his feelings, so unsure of himself. He'd been torn between wanting to knock, or run back to his truck. But Kurt had suddenly opened the door before he could decide.

Puck had almost wanted to laugh at the cartoonish look of shock that showed on Kurt's face. The smaller teen's blue eyes were wide and staring. He looked even whiter than usual and Puck just launched into his explanation, hoping to calm Kurt down a notch.

Kurt had babbled something about leaving and Puck was immediately embarrassed, thinking that just showing up had been a bad idea. He'd nearly left, but then he'd felt it. The same soft touch that he vaguely remembered from his drunken stupor the other night, it was Kurt grabbing his hand.

There was something different about Kurt's touch than anyone elses'. Puck couldn't place what it was, but it felt right to him and he gently moved to hold on to the slender fingers.

Puck knew that he was playing with fire. His teammates at school would crucify them both if they had seen this. There would be hell to pay for upsetting the status quo. But Puck couldn't ignore the fact that there was something about Kurt Hummel that fit into the deep empty hole that he carried around in his chest most days. The hole that had been torn open when his father had left, the same hole that had been ripped jagged around the edges by his mother's indifferent attitude toward him, something about being with Kurt helped him forget that the wound was there, even if only for a short time.

An hour later found them back in Kurt's kitchen, Puck sat in a chair with his guitar in his lap. He picked at the strings while Kurt bustled around the counters, chopping vegetables and messing with various pots and pans. Puck pretended to focus on tuning his guitar while he flipped through the stack of songbooks that Kurt had deposited on the table. In reality he was torn between that and the amusement of watching Kurt Hummel make dinner. The smaller boy practically danced around the countertops, his movements fluid and precise.

Puck laughed slightly to himself as he remembered just how funny their trip to the grocery store had been. Kurt had seemed nervous and jittery, dropping things, and at one point nearly knocking over a display. Puck had finally taken the damn list out of his pale hands and led Kurt through the aisles quickly. When the other boy had asked how he knew where everything was so easily he told him that he often got the chore of doing the food shopping, as his mother worked two jobs and rarely had the time.

Kurt had obediently followed him as he retrieved the items on the list, until Puck had tried to toss in a pack of twinkies, something not on the list.

"Seriously, twinkies?" Kurt yanked the offending package from the cart and tossed it back on the shelf.

"Hey, what's your beef with hostess?" Puck had argued.

"Um, maybe the fact that there is like no real food in their products. It's just chemicals and sugar." Kurt's haughty tone was accompanied by his signature gesture, the snotty little hair flip. As he watched, tuning out the nutritional lecture that followed, he'd felt the corners of his mouth pull upward in a smile. He'd used to hate it when Kurt did that, when he'd been the one tossing him into a dumpster for it…but now he could see it for what it was, a fidget gesture. While some people cracked their knuckles, or tapped their foot to let off steam, Kurt's hands went to his hair, like a touchstone.

_Why the hell do I care why he does that?_ Puck had chided himself, reaching for the twinkies again. He wasn't about to let Kurt veto his sugar jones so easily. As he reached for them though, Kurt suddenly grabbed his wrist with more strength than Puck expected.

"No! Chemicals! Bad!" He emphasized, his eyes staring hard.

"Dude, I don't skip dessert…like ever." Puck tried to ignore the smooth hand that gripped him.

People didn't touch him casually, like ever. Most were too scared of his bully status, or his bad boy image to even think about it. The only hands he ever felt on him were the women he fooled around with on occasion, and he didn't like to count that, as none of his conquests gave a damn about him. The women he'd been with had only cared about one thing, using him to please themselves momentarily. All discarded him immediately after using him for the one thing they thought he was good for. One of the ladies whose pool he cleaned actually had gotten mad him once for attempting to get to know her instead of just bedding down the first time her husband was out. What had she said to him that day?

"Get out…who said I wanted you to talk? I don't want to know you, I don't care, I just wanted a quick lay." He'd started to defend himself but she'd paid him for his service to her pool and ushered him out the door.

Puck hadn't realized how lost he'd become in the painful memory until Kurt had tugged on his wrist.

"Hello? If you're that into sweets, I'll add a dessert to the menu! But something I can make, not just some chemical crap in a wrapper!"

Puck had turned to look at him then, starting with the pale hand that was clamped around his wrist, and following it up Kurt's sleeve to his face. Kurt's eyes searched his, trying to see what had taken his thoughts away. That blue gaze was honest and open, and Puck felt the hurt ebb just a little. He let go of the snack package and allowed Kurt to tug him over another aisle.

((((((((((((((((

Puck was still trying to process what all this meant as he gently strummed his guitar, testing the tuned strings. They rang out clear and perfect. He smiled, testing a few chords. Despite what most people thought, he really liked playing the instrument.

The kitchen was now filling with the smell of the chicken baking and whatever vegetable dish Kurt was working on. Puck took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. The whole scenario was so comforting that it nearly pained him. This kind of thing, sitting in a kitchen while someone actually cooked a meal was a foreign thing. His freezer full of convenience meals stood as a testament to how little he had experienced this. He strummed gently, picking out a melody as he tried to process.

He felt something inside him shifting, and new feeling seeped into his bones. Puck tried to process it, to isolate it so he could identify. Home. Being here in the Hummel kitchen….with Kurt….it felt like coming home.

His hand stilled on the strings as he sucked in a sharp breath. What the hell am I thinking? Hummel probably hates me, he has every right to. After all that I've done….or allowed to be done to him ….Puck didn't even understand why Kurt was allowing him to be here right now. He looked back to the counter, Kurt had moved on from whatever he'd been chopping, and was now tearing something into pieces in a bowl. Puck wanted to ask him so many questions. He wanted to understand how Kurt could be so kind….when he'd been nothing but wrong to him in the past. Suddenly he wanted to explain himself, he wanted Kurt Hummel to understand that he didn't want to be that person, that bully. That it wasn't really him, but a mask.

"Hey Kurt?" Puck's voice had broken a little.

Kurt's movement stilled, but he didn't turn from the counter. Puck was almost glad, he didn't think he had the courage to be looking at Kurt's face as he asked these things.

"….I….I'm sorry…" Puck managed, his voice was slow and quiet, and he saw as Kurt took a deep breath and placed his hands on the counter top.

"Why?"

"…for everything….all that stuff that I did to you….I'm just sorry." Puck picked at his guitar strings again, needing something to still the tremble in his hands. This kind of honesty wasn't something he normally did and it was twisting him up inside.

Kurt slowly turned around, whatever he was doing at the counter momentarily forgotten. Puck kept his eyes down.

"Do you really mean that Noah?" Kurt's voice was hesitant.

Puck didn't miss the fact that Kurt had used his real name. Maybe Hummel did understand what he was trying to say. Maybe he would be able to explain the difference between the two sides of him, the fake and the real. If Kurt was able to understand the disconnect between the two, he'd be the first, the only one who'd ever looked close enough to do so.

Puck looked up then, daring to meet Kurt's searching gaze.

"Yeah, I mean it."


	8. Closer

There was a long moment of silence in the room as the two boys regarded each other. Puck could feel Kurt's eyes on him, waiting, making sure that he was serious. After what felt like an eternity to Puck, Kurt turned back to the counter to resume what he'd been doing.

"Thank you….for that. It means more than you know."

Puck nodded, but said nothing more. It had been hard enough for him to say what he did, but he was glad that Kurt hadn't laughed or demanded more from him. Puck started to again pick at the guitar strings, humming as a song idea came to him. He suddenly knew what song he wanted to do for their assignment.

"You ever listen to Jimmy Eat World?" Puck asked.

"Is that a band?"

Puck laughed. "Yes…they had a single called My Sundown. I think it would work for this assignment." Puck closed his eyes as he tried to remember the right chords, the right rhythm.

As he found the song and began to play, he sang softly, trying to recall the exact words of the verse.

_I see it around me, I see it in everything.  
I could be so much more than this.  
I said my goodbye's this is my sundown.  
I'm gonna be so much more than this._

_With one hand high, you'll show them your progress.  
You'll take your time, but no one cares.  
No one cares.  
I need you to show me the way from crazy.  
I wanna be so much more than this._

He paused for a moment, curious about Kurt's reaction. The other boy had turned to face him again, leaning back against the counter, arms wrapped around his waist. His head was slightly cocked to one side, and Puck suddenly wished desperately that he could read minds.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

KURT

As the afternoon wore into evening, Kurt found himself relaxing bit by bit. His nerves had nearly overwhelmed him in the grocery store. He was terrified that they would run into other classmates there and Noah would suddenly morph back into 'Puck' and toss him into the nearest garbage can. But his fears were unfounded, despite the fact that they caused him to drop several things and nearly take out an entire display of paper towels. He'd been even more surprised when Noah had taken the list from him and quickly rounded up everything. He was an even better shopper, knowing where everything was almost immediately.

The only tense moment had been their slight bicker over Twinkies, of all things. Kurt hadn't been able to contain his disgust for the processed junk, and had actually grabbed Noah's wrist without thinking. The other teen had frozen, his eyes staring at the offending hand with an unreadable expression. At first Kurt had stiffened, expecting a shove, an insult, something. But Noah's eyes took on a far away look as his thoughts drifted elsewhere. Whatever he was remembering was unpleasant as his forehead wrinkled up slightly. Kurt had instantly wanted to take back whatever had been done to make him go to that place in his head, as it was obviously painful. He'd quickly tugged the other boy away and chattered mindlessly to try and bury it.

The sun set outside, and the wind picked up. Kurt watched the clock as he cooked, knowing that his dad would be home any time. He was nervous about seeing his father for two reasons; the first being that he hoped that going back to work hadn't exacerbated his fathers health issue, and second because he was going to have to explain Noah Puckerman's presence in their home, again. But even as he tried to think out his explanation, the other boy decided to throw him another curveball.

He'd apologized.

Kurt was so shocked, if he hadn't been holding onto the counter he might have fallen over. They hadn't even been talking about anything of the sort, but suddenly Noah's voice took on a heavier tone …and he'd apologized for all the bad things he had done to him. Dinner was momentarily forgotten as Kurt had slowly turned around, almost waiting for the other boy to call his bluff. But when he'd gotten up the courage to look at Noah's face, all he saw there was guilt and anxiety, like he was worried Kurt wouldn't accept his peace offering.

"I'm just sorry…" Noah's voice was raspy and hesitant, his eyes downcast.

Kurt felt a shiver run over him. There was something powerful in the words, despite how small and insignificant they seemed. And as he saw that the other boy truly meant what he said, another small piece of his broken puzzle of a heart slipped into place.

Kurt had almost wanted to hug him, but he resisted. Too much too soon, and he knew it would most likely freak the other boy out. He turned back to the counter and continued tearing up the store-bought angel food cake into pieces. He wanted to press the subject, but he could tell that the simple apology had been hard enough for Noah, and he wasn't about to test his luck.

That was when he had started to sing.

Kurt had heard Puck sing in Glee club before. He knew the other teen had a decent voice, a rich velvety baritone that contained that raspy undertone that so many rock singers made millions off of. But Puck had rarely sung solos, and often his voice got lost in the choir. Here in his kitchen, Puck's voice was gentle and thick as the words to the song flowed out of him. At first Kurt paid attention to what he was doing with the dessert prep, but as the song went on and he really listened to the words he found himself turning around to stare.

Noah's eyes were closed as his fingers caressed the guitar strings, playing the chords perfectly.

_I need you to show me the way from crazy.  
I wanna be so much more than this._

Puck continued strumming the tune, but stopped singing and opened his eyes, locking their gazes. Kurt hugged himself to keep his hands from trembling. The look in Noah Puckerman's eyes was intense, the color such a deep dark brown. Kurt tried to hold back the floodgates in his mind, fighting to not notice just how handsome the planes of the other boys face were. He felt Noah searching his face, looking for what, he wasn't sure. He felt the blood start to rush into his cheeks under the prolonged scrutiny. He was just about to ask what exactly those lyrics meant to Noah, but as he took a deep breath to do so, he heard the sound of the front door.

Burt Hummel walked into a scene that he hadn't expected to find. The inviting aroma of dinner led him straight into the kitchen where he'd expected to find his son fussing over a meal. He had NOT expected to find that_, and_ the teenager from the other night sitting at his kitchen table, guitar in hand.

"Hey…guys."

"Dad!" Kurt's happy greeting calmed Burt's nerves a little. He accepted the hug from his son, but looked pointedly at their guest waiting for an explanation.

"Hey Mr. Hummel." Puck offered a greeting, looking slightly nervous. Burt didn't want to take a guess as to why.

"Noah, wasn't it?" Burt moved another step into the room, trying to figure out just what was going on here.

All he knew was that until last weekend, this had been one of the boys at the high school who had made his only childs' life such a struggle. He wasn't exactly thrilled to find him in his home again. He felt a flicker of temper rising in him as he remembered the descriptions of being dumpster tossed, or the time he'd spent all evening bringing their lawn furniture off the roof. He surveyed the muscular boy, glad to see that the kid's eyes were clear this time.

"Noah and I were working on a project for Glee club." Kurt explained, as he quickly moved a bowl into the fridge. "Dinner will be ready in a minute."

Burt turned his gaze from the new kid, to his son. He was looking for any crack in the armor his son normally wore around others. But today he didn't see that mask strangely enough. Kurt looked fairly relaxed around this kid, and that was a first.

"All right then, I'm just gonna clean up." He gave his son a pointed look. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Kurt's cheeks reddened slightly. "Okay Dad."

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

PUCK

Puck knew that Mr. Hummel was going to ask to speak to him. He could feel it brewing from the moment the man arrived home. He half expected Kurt's dad to tell him to stay away from his home and his son from now on, as showing up drunk in the middle of the night wasn't the best first impression.

Dinner had been nice though. The chicken dish that Kurt had made tasted as good as it had smelled and he'd actually enjoyed listening to the banter between father and son that was tossed around the table as they ate. He didn't say much, mostly just listened and stared at the homey scene he found himself in. This was what families did on television, this whole sitting around the table over dinner, discussing their day thing. The table at his house was rarely used. His sister, Sarah sometimes used it for homework. They often ate their meals in front of the tv, at different times, rarely together. And nothing they heated up (because Puck couldn't really call microwave food cooking) never tasted a fraction as good as Kurt's dinner.

The kicker had been after they'd finished, he'd jumped up to clear the dishes….wanting to contribute something. Kurt had excitedly pulled out a large glass bowl placed it on the table, whatever was inside the bowl was layered in shades of white and red.

"What's that son?" Burt had questioned as Kurt dished up three bowls of the concoction.

"Strawberry angelfood trifle." He said, as if it was the most simple thing in the world. Neither of the other two men had a clue.

"You lost me after strawberries." Puck joked, sitting back down.

Kurt shoved a bowl of the stuff at him. "Just try it…trust me, it's better than Twinkies."

Kurt's grin was infectious, and Puck was rattled as something in his soul flickered to life as he stared at the other boy. He quickly looked away and took a tentative bite. The sweet taste of whipped cream, strawberries, and cake spread across his mouth in a flourish of ecstasy. Puck couldn't contain the appreciative groan that ripped out of him. Sweets were a deep dark secret of his, he loved them. But his sugar cravings were usually sated by hostess…which couldn't hold a candle to what Kurt had put in front of him. He was half tempted to grab the other boy up in a hug.

"You like?" Kurt was watching him, an amused smirk on his face.

"Like? More like love dude….this is amazing." Puck sighed happily, spooning more into his mouth.

"Better than hostess?" Kurt grinned.

"No contest."

GLEEGLEEGLEEGLEE GLEE GLEE

"Let me be perfectly clear about something Noah Puckerman. Kurt told me about what you and your friends have done to him before. I know all of that." Burt began. He had asked Puck to join him in the living room while Kurt cleaned up in the kitchen.

Puck sat on the couch rigidly. He'd expected this when Mr. Hummel had asked to talk, and he hung his head and listened obediently. As Burt brought up Kurt's treatment he felt a stab of guilt. "I am sorry about all of that. I was a complete asshole."

"I won't argue with you there." Burt laced his fingers together as he thought of his next words. "But Kurt has also told me that you've laid off that bullying crap since Glee club started up last year. Is that true?"

Puck looked up to see Mr. Hummel watching him closely. He didn't want to lie to the man and tried to think back…yes he had left Kurt alone mostly in that time. He nodded slowly. "It's true."

"One thing I would like to know though, Kurt mentioned that you just got out of doing a stint in juvenile hall. Can I ask why?" Burt was very direct, but also slightly relaxed and Puck got the vibe from him that this wasn't an interrogation, but more like an interview.

"Yeah…although it's a little complicated." Puck fidgeted slightly, lacing and unlacing his fingers.

"Try me."

Puck look a deep breath then glanced at the older man. Burt Hummel was watching him with a calm but serious expression. "My mom's car has a problem sometimes with the gears. She'd asked me to go pick up some milk and things one night a few weeks ago and my truck was out of gas so I took hers. It was late so I just ran to the convenience store. I got the stuff but when I went to pull out, the gear got stuck. I thought I jammed it hard enough into reverse but it slipped the car jutted forward into the window of the store." Puck grimaced at the memory. He was normally so tough, but that moment had scared the crap out of him. The sound of the huge window breaking and the crash of the car hitting the things on the other side, he'd been terrified.

"I panicked and yanked on the shifter, the car finally went into reverse and I pulled back out, but it was too fast. The stores atm was on the other side, and my bumper had gotten tied up with the chain that held it to the wall when I'd crashed. I backed out so fast it dragged it a few feet, then just fell. I stopped the car and got out, but before I could explain, there was already a cop car there."

Puck looked up at this point to see the man's reaction. Burt looked intrigued, but he wasn't frowning, his expression looked like simply concern. It gave Puck the courage to finish.

"I tried to explain, but it was only like a second before the cops had their guns out and everything, everyone was yelling, the clerk from the store, the two cops. They had me on my mom's car hood and cuffed before I could say anything. When I tried to tell them it was an accident, they just laughed." Puck balled his hands into fists. The men laughing at him had been salt in the wound that night.

"They arrested me anyway, and the same thing happened at the station. No one would listen. They just assumed I was after the stupid atm. I even asked one of the cops to try and park mom's car so they would see the shifter problem. Nothing worked, so I got mad and mouthed off in the station….that didn't help my case."

Burt nodded. "And since you're a minor, they just tossed you into juvie for a few weeks?"

"Yes."

"What about your mother?"

Puck's voice grew very quiet. "She was pissed about the car."

"So she just let you go to juvenile hall?" Burt's voice changed, gaining a tense edge.

Puck nodded, shocked at his own honesty. "It wasn't so bad, a little rough, but whatever."

Silence dropped down over the two men, Puck waited anxiously. He expected Mr. Hummel to laugh, or call him a liar. No one believed him about what had happened that night, not the police, not the juvenile judge, no one at school. He wasn't even really sure if his mother believed it had been accident. Sure he embellished the truth sometimes, told a few lies, but he'd never considered grand theft an option. Good grief, he had dreams of getting out of Lima, not chilling there in a cell for his adult life.

"That's quite a story Noah." Burt mused.

"It's all right if you don't believe me, nobody ever does." Puck mumbled.

"Well, I believe in giving someone the benefit of the doubt. If everything you just told me is true, and I've got a feeling it is, then you're welcome in my home anytime. I only have one condition."

Puck looked up at the other man, unable to hide his look of shock at the acceptance. "What's that?"

"If I find out you're lying to me, or if I hear of you bullying Kurt, or messing with him in anyway….I will come find you and it won't be pretty." Burt's expression turned deadly serious. "You don't seem like a bad kid Noah, but Kurt's my only son and he's the most important thing to me. I don't like seeing him upset, and Lord knows this small town is full of enough small minds…we don't need one invading our home. You got me?"

Puck nodded slowly, getting slightly choked up at the speech. He'd never realized just how much Kurt had suffered through. He could tell by the somber look on Burt Hummel's face that it had to be a lot. He felt a sickening stab of guilt knowing that he'd played a part in all of that for awhile.

"I know that's a little harsh…" Burt began.

Puck interrupted. "No, it's all right. That's exactly what a dad should say. Mine's been gone so long…I forgot what it's like." Puck's voice broke slightly and he looked away embarrassed.

A moment later he felt a large strong hand grab his shoulder. "You're gonna be all right kid. Now why don't you go help Kurt clean up?"

For a moment Puck just stared at the other man in awe. His insides knotted up a bit as he tried to process the whole conversation. It was an unfamiliar feeling, being believed, being trusted, being given that second chance to prove himself to be something other than the 'Puck' persona. He nodded and smiled, a genuine one this time, before getting up to make his way back into the kitchen.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

Puck couldn't help the small smile that pulled at his mouth as he walked back into the kitchen. Kurt was flitting around the room, humming quietly as he loaded things into the dishwasher.

"Here, let me help." Puck heard himself saying.

Kurt spun around then, his cheeks suddenly flushing pink. "No, it's okay. I'm almost done actually."

Puck nodded, then noticed the two Tupperware containers that Kurt had set on top of the his songbook. "What's that?"

Kurt chuckled. "You've never seen leftovers?"

Puck was confused. "What?"

"I made too much, so I boxed some up for you to take home, to your mom and sister if you want." Kurt explained.

"Oh…thanks." Puck was at a loss. The leftovers at his house were normally housed in a pizza box or takeout container. Actual cooked meals happened so rarely at his house, he felt his face get hot with embarrassment that he hadn't recognized. His sister would probably love that chicken Kurt had made, he thought. But the second container looked like Kurt had filled with that dessert… Puck stifled a happy groan. He could still taste the awesome sweetness in his mouth, _that _leftover he was not sharing…with anyone.


	9. Something More

KURT

By Friday afternoon, Kurt began to feel like he'd slipped into some sort of alternate reality. He'd managed to go an entire week without being slushied, dumpster tossed, or even shoved into a locker. It hadn't been completely bully free, he'd still heard the verbal taunts in the hallways, but every time it appeared to get close to physical, something would happen to thwart the jocks attempts. Kurt wanted to believe that Noah was behind the switch, but that voice in his head kept yelling at him that it couldn't be. He just couldn't start to believe that someone actually cared enough to keep him out of harms way, especially if that someone was a former bully. Another reason Kurt tried not to think about who might be behind the lack of abuse was that if it was simply coincidence he didn't want to be too shocked when things returned to normal.

When he reached Glee club that afternoon, Kurt happily ran a hand over the soft gray cashmere sweater that had managed to survive the day unscathed. He had to smile at the fact that he'd been able to leave his emergency cleaning stash untouched all week, and that his outfits (that he so meticulously chose each morning) had managed to stay clean all week long.

But as the rest of the club filed into the room, each pair chatting about their upcoming performance that afternoon, he began to feel anxious once again. He hadn't seen much of Noah the last two days except for a moment or two in passing, and once in the class they shared. And while Kurt hadn't expected his duet partner to suddenly want to be his best friend, he was shocked to find that he was missing his company. Noah…. Puck….of all people. Now he wondered if the other boy would even remember the assignment, or would leave him on his own.

Mr. Shue entered the room and quieted the ruckus, still no Puck. Kurt's mood began to sink. He would have to think of some other song fast, or simply withdraw. And while he could think of a whole songbook of ballads he enjoyed performing, he chewed his lip in worry. He'd actually liked the song that Noah had played in his kitchen, and despite it's simplicity, the lyrics had been meaningful to him. He'd never gotten the chance to ask exactly what they meant to Noah, but to him they'd spoken of a longing for a place to belong and a way to escape the prison of a small town like Lima. He'd practiced with the original track that Noah had emailed him, creating harmonies where it worked.

There had also been something else that spoke to him in those simple lyrics, something about wanting to be "so much more than this", to Kurt that meant being loved and accepted for who he was, not just known as 'the gay kid'. As Mr. Shue droned on about the importance of lyrics, Kurt studied the patterns of the floor tile, wondering if he'd be able to perform on his own.

"Sorry I'm late."

Kurt's head snapped up at the familiar voice. Noah Puckerman came sauntering into the room, his guitar case slung over one shoulder. Kurt let out the breath he'd been holding and unclenched his hands. Noah slid into the seat beside him as Mr. Shue nodded, and continued on with his lecture.

Kurt glanced sideways at the other boy, noticing that he was dressed slightly different from his usual grunge attire. Noah's jeans were for once were free of rips or holes, and he wore a simple black pullover with a cream colored stripe across the chest. The sweater hugged his shapely arms and Kurt couldn't help but admire the fact that Noah Puckerman cleaned up nicely. Although he wondered why, it couldn't have simply been for their duet, could it?

"You look…..nice." Kurt whispered, unable to help himself. Fashion was his weakness, and far be it from him to give praise when it was due in that arena.

"Ya….my Nana gave it to me last year for Christmas. Figured I oughta wear the damn thing at least once." Noah mumbled quietly, and Kurt could have sworn he saw the other boy's cheeks redden just a tad. He instantly averted his eyes, unable to believe what he'd seen.

Mr. Shue randomly chose the order, and it resulted in Kurt and Puck's duet going last. In one way Kurt was thankful, as watching the other teams would give his nerves a chance to calm down. But on the other side, his brain wouldn't shut up long enough to let him relax. It kept dissecting every nuance of Noah's posture, clothing, word choice. Finally he forced himself to focus on the other performances, and not the boy next to him.

He was surprised to find that he actually enjoyed the results of this assignment. Quinn and Mercedes had chosen a gospelish song with lyrics about God. While Kurt didn't believe in the same higher power, their voices were still beautiful and the music was pretty. Rachel and Tina did a surprisingly good job of making a duet out of a 'I dreamed a dream' from Les Miserables, one of his favorite musicals.

Finn and Artie chose a song by Billy Joel called Vienna. It was much slower than the usual rock that Finn favored, but the arrangement suited both voices. Sam and Mike were the wild card, as both were somewhat shy and unknown to the group. Kurt was pleasantly surprised to hear them choose an Elton John number called Your song, which was actually about writing song lyrics. Mr. Shue gave them a few extra points for taking the assignment so literally. Brittany and Santana rounded out the performances with a cutesy rendition of 'New girl in town' from the musical Hairspray. He almost had to laugh at their take on it,

Finally it was their turn. Kurt watched as Noah rose and pulled out two stools for them to use. The rest of the club was watching them curious expressions. Kurt usually wasn't nervous but today his hands shook as he took his place on the second stool. He was ready to introduce their song choice ,but Noah spoke first.

"We chose this song because ….well you said to look at the lyrics and the words in this song mean something to me….." Noah flicked his eyes toward Kurt. "..and I think to Kurt too. You might not get it, but here it is."

Kurt nearly choked on his next breath, but as Noah began to play that song, he recalled the harmonies and joined in, trying not to let his nerves show. _What the hell was it about Noah Puckerman that knocked him so off kilter?_ Their voices blended smoothly as Noah took the lead vocal and for once Kurt didn't mind singing the back harmonies. Noah's fingers expertly picked at the strings of his guitar. Kurt was afraid to look at the others for fear of them seeing through him to the anxiety inside. Instead he glanced over at Noah halfway through the song.

_I could be so much more than this.  
No one cares.  
I wanna be so much more than this_.

Then as the bridge built and finished, Noah looked up, locking gazes with him. His expression was intense and deep as he stared into Kurt's eyes. Kurt's voice fell away from certain lines and Noah took the opportunity to change the words for the last chorus. As he did so, Kurt felt as if those dark eyes were burning him with their intensity.

_**We** could be so much more than this._

Kurt nearly fell off his stool as Noah purposefully changed the words, then looked back down at his guitar to finish off the song. Kurt was scared to look at the others, wondering if they'd seen. But when he dared it, he just saw a few of them swaying to the gentle melody and smiling. He relaxed slightly and finished his harmonies on the last verse.

Mr. Shue applauded and asked them a few questions about how they interpreted the lyrics. Kurt fielded the answers this time, using his original analogy about moving on from a small town and becoming something more. But he couldn't help but wonder what _'something more_' meant to Noah Puckerman.

09890808098080

As Glee club dismissed, Kurt couldn't help but notice as Santana made a beeline for Puck.

"So when did my bad boy turn into a Ralph Lauren model?" Santana cooed, dropping into the chair beside Puck.

Kurt bristled, but tried to busy himself with organizing the contents of his bag for a moment. He knew he should just leave, but he was curious. Santana reached a hand out to trail along the arm of Puck's sweater. Kurt didn't even realize that he was holding his breath as he waited to see Puck's response.

"A guy is free to change his mind once in awhile." Puck mumbled, packing up his guitar and not looking directly at the leering Cheerio.

"I think I like your grunge look better…but this has potential." Santana's hand moved up to Puck's shoulder. "It's definitely softer than some of your ratty old jackets…." Her voice dripped with suggestion.

"Not tonight." Puck said quietly, removing her hand from his arm.

Kurt tried to covertly observe, even though he was running out of things to do with his bag to waste time.

Santana, not used to rejection, immediately went on the defensive. "What? Do you have other plans?"

Puck lifted his eyes then from his guitar case, but he flicked them towards Kurt, not Santana. "I might."

"Well, are those plans hotter than me?" Santana grabbed Puck's thigh then, squeezing through his jeans. Kurt grimaced at the blatant seduction attempt.

"Lopez….come on. Lay off." Puck removed her hand again.

"The brunette whipped her head back, her ponytail bobbing. "What the hell Puck? I thought you'd be hard up after all that time in juvie!"

Puck sighed. "Chill out , San."

"Just tell me. Tell me what plans are so much more important than."

Puck looked around, Kurt could see that he was looking for a way out.

"I…I…promised Hummel I would show him what it's like to get thrashed in Halo." Puck suddenly blurted out.

Kurt's satchel fell out of his hands with a loud flop, his eyes wide as he stared directly at Puck, unable to believe what he had just heard. Santana looked equally as surprised, but Kurt barely had time to register her expression before Puck locked eyes with him. That deep brown intense gaze captured his and burned into him. He felt like he could almost hear Puck's thoughts, his plea for help.

"Right, Kurt?" Puck's voice was slow and pointed, his eyes not leaving the other boys.

"Yes, that's true." Kurt heard a high voice answering Puck's question. It took a full moment before he recognized it as his own. He realized he was agreeing to something involving a violent video game, but he tried to rationalize it by telling himself that Puck was probably just looking for a way out of the issue with Santana. The other boy most likely had another date that he didn't want the psychotic Cheerio ruining.

Santana looked completely confused., but she let Puck pull her hands off him.

"So, wait a minute…you're blowing me off so you can hang out with capital G over here?" She gestured toward Kurt.

"He's got a name, and yes." Puck's voice dropped to a tight growl.

Kurt shivered and pulled his hands up into the sleeves of his sweater, despite the room's warm temperature.

"So suddenly you'd rather play video games than get laid?" Santana stood up, her hands on her hips.

"Maybe."

"Fine! To hell with you then!" She spat, then reached out to slap him on the shoulder and stalked from the room.

Kurt let out the breath he'd been holding. Everyone had left by this point, and he hesitantly walked over to Puck.

"Are you okay?"

Puck stood, picking up his guitar case to sling over his shoulder. "Yeah, thanks."

"Santana seemed pretty mad." Kurt murmured.

"She'll get over it." Puck shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Besides, it's not like we're a thing anyway. Never were. She knows it."

"But I thought…." Kurt stammered, following as Puck walked toward the exit.

"It was a mutual thing. We were honest about it, no feelings were involved." Puck held the door open for Kurt to walk though.

"Then why didn't you…"

Puck cut him off, falling into step to walk beside him through the empty hallway.

"Maybe I'm tired of the whole 'no feelings' thing. Maybe I want to actually be with somebody that I do feel something for."

Kurt's mouth went dry, he forced himself to keep his gaze focused on the corridor in front of them. But his face felt hot as he listened to Noah's words. Their footsteps echoed in the quiet and Kurt frantically searc4hed for the right response, but he had nothing so instead he stayed quiet as they walked. His heart thumped so loudly against his ribs that he wondered how it wasn't audible.


	10. Wanted Emotion

As they reached the doors to the parking lot and continued out in quiet, Kurt realized that Noah was following him out to where his Navigator was parked. When he reached the car with Noah still in tow, he turned around.

"What are you doing?"

"Aren't we gonna hang out?" Puck quirked an eyebrow at him.

"But I thought…..that…..maybe you had a date or something and just didn't want to hurt her." Kurt backed up a step as he stammered.

Noah's expression looked almost amused with Kurt being so uncharacteristically clumsy and advanced another step closer. "I told you Kurt, with Santana there are no feelings involved."

"Oh." Kurt backed up another step, his heart starting to pound again.

"And as far as dates go….I guess mine is you." Noah grinned, crowding up into Kurt's space a little more.

Kurt stumbled as he tried to back up and found himself suddenly pressed against the door of his car with nowhere to go. His mind was spinning. _Did Noah Puckerman just refer to him as his date? Was the world suddenly upside down?_ Kurt tried to take a deep breath, but choked on it and began to cough violently.

"Calm down Hummel, you okay?" Puck took a step away from him.

"Fine…I'm fine." Kurt managed, straightening up again. With a little distance between him and Puck he was able to breathe normally again, but deep inside he mourned the closeness.

"So….do you mind then?" Puck asked.

"Mind…what?" Kurt was lost, too caught up in the dark eyes that studied his face.

"Hanging out with me tonight?"

"Really?" Kurt squeaked, his heart pounding so loud he could hear the rush of blood in his ears.

"Really Hummel, it wasn't a hypothetical."

"Okay, yes. Then yes." Kurt was aware that his response was over enthusiastic, but he didn't care.

"Cool, I could swing by my place and grab Halo like I said. Do you have an xbox?" Noah smiled then.

Kurt shook his head, still dumbfounded by the whole conversation.

"That's cool, maybe we could just chill and watch a movie…and maybe…." Puck faltered, kicking at the gravel with his sneaker. "…maybe you could make dinner again? I'll help this time." Puck said shyly, his cheeks tinting red.

Kurt was completely entranced by Noah in that moment. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the other boys face. He'd never seen Puck do anything close to blushing, yet there he stood, his cheeks reddened as he kicked at the gravel. Certain words he said rung loudly in Kurt's ears: _date, hang out with me, dinner….wait what? _Kurt stared at Puck's timid smile, his handsome face looking almost embarrassed. But Kurt couldn't help the happy grin that flowed through him and blossomed on his face.

"Yeah, maybe I could teach you a recipe or something."

Puck returned the grin and yanked his keys from his pocket. "I'll meet you at your house in an hour?"

Kurt nodded. "Okay."

Kurt fished out his keys and watched as Noah walked across the lot to his own truck and drove away. He quickly climbed into his car and tried to make sense of what had just occurred. He had a quasi date with Noah Puckerman…something about dinner and teaching him to cook. And even though it felt like something out of the twilight zone, Kurt couldn't stop smiling all the way home.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

PUCK

Normally he would have loved to have a sexy Cheerio fawning over him and promising him some night time pleasure. But when Santana advanced on him, he felt nothing. Even when she leered and touched his sweater, none of the usual sparks ignited. All he'd been able to notice was the slightly hurt look on Kurt Hummel's face. The pale boy was trying to act like he wasn't watching, like he didn't care. But a shadow drifted over his features that the brunette couldn't hide.

His insides roiled with the turmoil. Bedding down with Santana would be exactly what 'Puck' would have done in this situation. She was more than willing and the two had kind of had a long standing , unspoken, agreement that they were always available to each other for whatever needs arose. It was something they'd worked out. No feelings, no exclusivity, just pleasure for its own sake. And while in the past he'd been happy to have the easy arrangement, now it wasn't enough. Even _thinking_ of an empty lay with the attractive cheerleader made his stomach turn. Santana and loveless hookups were NOT what he wanted, not anymore.

With a sigh, he removed her hands and declined her offer. He knew she wouldn't take it well. Not because she was hurt, they'd agreed to the whole no emotions involved clause, but because Lopez didn't take the word 'no' very well in general. And true to form she'd come with claws bared, wanting to know exactly why she wasn't getting her way. He'd wanted to just be honest with her, but he knew that the truth would just cause him more problems at the moment. Especially since he hadn't completely sorted out the truth of what he DID want yet, he only knew what he _didn't_. And this was under that header.

He'd tried to let her down easy, so that her wounded pride wouldn't go violent. But she'd pushed it, and as he scrambled for a way out of her firing zone, his eyes had again been drawn to Kurt. The pale boy was fiddling with his bag, listening, he could tell. He willed the other teen to look at him, begged silently and finally was rewarded by a cautious blue glance. He tried to convey his dilemma to Kurt with a look, and he was struck by how much easier this would be if he was telepathic. He watched as Hummel looked shocked and confused at the intense eye contact, his pale hands fluttering over his leather bag nervously.

Then it had come to him, and he'd blurted out something about Kurt and Halo. It had worked, to an extent. Santana was so shocked by his rebuff that she'd backed off, but hadn't hesitated to through a homophobic slur towards Hummel.

Puck was surprised at the weight of his reaction. He saw Kurt's shoulders sag a little with the sting of the Cheerio's taunt and he clenched his fist. Forgotten were all the times he'd teased Kurt before, all that remained was that he saw that it hurt the other boy, and now that he knew him, he wasn't about to let it keep happening.

He'd all but growled at the buxom Latina. He'd seen in her eyes that his reaction had both confused and slightly frightened her. But she'd covered her shock quickly with a stinging slap to his arm and then stomped out of the room.

Puck was rattled by his own anger_. Why the heck did he suddenly care so much about Hummel and his hurt feelings? _Last year he'd been tossing slushies at the other boy, but now….it was different now. Puck's stomach knotted up as he looked back in Kurt's direction. He saw the way Kurt's long fingers clenched the leather strap of his bag, too tightly, his knuckles were white. He saw the reddish tint in the boy's cheeks from the rude words, and the way his bottom lip quivered just the tiniest bit. It sliced into him like a knife and he forced himself to look away.

A moment later Kurt appeared at his side, asking him if HE was okay. Puck was shocked, someone tosses an insult in his way and Hummel worries about him instead of himself? He packed up his guitar and stood, holding the door for Kurt as he passed through. As they walked side by side, Puck tried in vain to figure out what he was feeling. Kurt babbled something about Santana and being hurt, he tried to explain that with Lopez it wasn't about feelings, it never was, all she was about was the physical. Her only 'hurt' was more irritation for being denied something she wanted.

"Then why didn't….." Kurt's soft voice faded out before finishing the question, but Noah could hear it as clearly as if he'd spoken it aloud. Why didn't you go with her?

As they walked through the empty hallway, he tried to figure that out himself. But as he tried to picture himself bedding down with Santana like she'd offered, his stomach rolled. Very clearly, that was not what he wanted. The whole concept of not having feelings involved in his relationships had developed as a defense mechanism. A shield so he never had to worry about someone getting close enough to see what he was hiding underneath his bad boy exterior. The hurt, pain, the loneliness of what he kept bottled up inside every day.

But as he and Kurt stepped out into the parking lot, the cool wind blowing against them, something inside him whispered the truth. Normally he didn't listen to that voice, more like blocked it out, but in that moment he could hear it very clearly.

_Kurt has already seen what I'm hiding, and he's still here._

Puck glanced at the smaller boy, who was pulling his gray sweater tighter around his lean frame to ward off the chill. The voice was right. Over the past week or so, Kurt Hummel had seen the side of himself that he kept so tightly guarded, and he was still there, walking with him willingly. Puck could feel something deep inside him moving and twisting, reforming itself to fit….to something, some one.

Puck barely realized that he was following Kurt to his car, until the other boy turned around to call him on it. Kurt's aqua eyes turned on him in confusion…but something else danced there, a spark of something….Puck stepped closer. As Kurt backed up slightly, watching him like a hawk, he realized that Kurt must not have believed what he told Santana. Right then, Noah could have let 'Puck' take over, he could have just brushed the other boy off and gone home, his image intact. But Noah wasn't yet ready to part company.

As he moved closer, telling Kurt that's he'd meant what he said to Santana, he watched Kurt's eyes widen, his expression nervous and flustered. Puck wondered if he was scared of him, he hoped that wasn't the case. But the mischevious side of him just couldn't resist the tease, and he stepped further into the other boys' space. But it backfired, as being this close to Kurt made it impossible to lie when Kurt had hesitantly asked him if he'd had a date.

"I guess mine is you." Noah heard himself murmur, watching as Kurt's mouth opened and closed in utter shock. _God, there was something so mesmerizing about the other's boy's eyes, he couldn't tear his gaze away. _A moment later the boy doubled over coughing and he stepped back to give Kurt space.

When Kurt straightened up, Noah repeated his question and this time Kurt agreed, a smile blossoming across his delicate features; a sight that caused a long dormant part of Noah's soul to flicker back to life.

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KURT

Kurt rushed downstairs to change his clothes as soon as he got home. He had a nagging feeling that teaching a certain Noah Puckerman how to cook anything was not going to be the cleanest affair. After he hung up his sweater and tossed his slacks into the hamper he stood before his closet trying to pick out a safe outfit that wouldn't make him look like a slob. Nothing fancy, no big designer names, but on the other hand he didn't want to look like a ragamuffin for his first date….

"Oh my god…" He yelped, suddenly sitting down on his carpet in shock. He dropped his face into his open hands and moaned softly.

. This was NOT a date. Kurt tried to take deep slow breaths to calm himself down and slow his racing heart. Puck had just been teasing him with that 'date' business, right? Puck was straight! Hell, half the cheerios and the cougars in town could attest to that fact.

It was happening again. It was just like last year with Finn, and vividly Kurt recalled the pain of all of that. He just couldn't go through that whole mess again. Crushing on a straight jock was a one way ticket to heartache and embarrassment, and here he was about to do it all over again.

But…but… his subconscious protested. His mind replayed images of Noah holding his hand in the rain, hugging him in the dark and crying, tripping Karofsky that day in the hall, changing the words to that damn song! _All that had to mean something didn't it?_

Kurt wiped his face and stood back up to face his closet again. He reached for one of his older graphic tees. It wasn't the most fierce choice, but it was the most washable while still being form fitting. He pulled the garment over his head and stepped into an older pair of jeans. He glanced at himself in the mirror. Normally he preferred fabulous to faded, but he wasn't about to encourage his foolish heart by dolling himself up any further for Noah's arrival.


	11. Find Out

**authors Note: Thanks for the heads up about the error here in chap 11...it was a copy/paste issue when the update was uploaded here into fanfic net. It was late and I didn't catch that it double pasted the one scene. Here is chap 11 the way it was meant to be. I like reviews! Do you guys like this story? Should I continue it?**

KURT

To Kurt's surprise, Noah arrived exactly when he said he would, toting a couple of DVDs in one hand. Kurt tried to stay calm and objective, and simply led the other boy back into the kitchen where he'd picked out a recipe to try and teach him.

The lesson went off rather well, and as they worked together Kurt found it easier to relax. Noah took to cooking quite naturally, easily chopping ingredients and Kurt enjoyed having someone to do the messier tasks, like stripping the skin off the chicken. Noah had no problem rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty, something Kurt abhorred but tolerated if a recipe called for it.

Kurt tried not to look directly at Noah as they worked, it was easier to talk and stay calm if he didn't let himself look at the other boys' face. He chided himself inwardly, knowing he was being ridiculous, but it was easier nonetheless. What he wasn't prepared for though, was for Puck to notice.

"Hey Kurt?" Puck's voice started hesitantly. Kurt kept his eyes on the pie crust dough that he had the other boy rolling out with a pin.

"Yes."

For a moment Puck said nothing, as he flattened the dough in steady even strokes. Kurt's eyes flicked momentarily to the well formed arms that went through the motions, he bit his lip, trying not to let his mind go _there_.

"Did I do something wrong?" Puck's voice was quiet and unsteady.

"What…no….it looks fine." Kurt mumbled, moving to grab a pie plate out of a cupboard.

Puck was suddenly right behind him as he stretched up on tiptoe, trying to reach for the dish. A longer arm reached up beside him to grab it and set it on the counter. Kurt froze, his arm still upward as he felt the heat from Puck's body radiating through him. The other boy stood so close behind him that Kurt could practically feel the closeness…despite the fact that they weren't touching.

"I got it." Puck said softly.

Neither moved for a moment.

"Kurt?" Puck's voice was lower, thicker….like dripping honey.

"Yes." Kurt's voice was shaky, his heart beginning to hammer against his ribs.

"Why won't you look at me?"

Kurt knew he was caught, but he was still couldn't bring himself to move. He could feel Puck still standing behind him, and part of him wanted to just lean back that inch so that he could feel that scorching heat that the other boy seemed to naturally exude. Kurt's skin nearly hummed with the want to touch him.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." Kurt heard himself babbling.

Then he felt it. Puck's hand came up to slide over the skin of his neck, his touch trailing fire in its wake. Kurt trembled under the other boys' touch, terrified that Puck would see just how much his nearness was affecting him. He felt Puck's fingers splay over his cheek and gently turn his face to look over his shoulder, directly into those dark brown eyes.

"Yes you do."

Kurt's pulse hammered frantically against the point in his neck, directly under where Noah's palm rested against his skin. He knew the other boy had to feel it. But Puck was searching his eyes solemnly, looking for something. Kurt was scared to move, to even breathe for fear of what would happen. His instincts yearned for the other boy to move those last few inches, but his mind screamed at him that it was futile, that this whole scenario was dangerous. The two warring thoughts had him paralyzed.

"I….Noah….you…." Kurt's words were barely above a whisper as he couldn't seem to get enough air to up his volume. He half expected that speaking would break whatever spell had come over Noah Puckerman. The negative voice in his head filled his mind with scenarios of Puck pushing him away, calling him a homophobic slur, getting furious with him. But none of those happened, instead Puck slowly moved his thumb to stroke the underside of Kurt's jawline, making Kurt's skin prick with sensation.

"I know…..It's okay." Puck murmured, his eyes studying Kurt's face with such a careful calm that it made Kurt's head spin. How the hell could the other teen be so freaking calm? Especially when he was the so-called 'straight' one? It was enough to make Kurt crazy.

"But you're…..you….and I'm….." Kurt babbled, unable to complete a sentence, or a thought for that matter. Speech itself was difficult with the other boy so close to him. Puck's body seemed to burn like a heater, and the warmth was slowly melting all of Kurt's ice queen defenses.

"Shhh…. It's okay Kurt." Puck repeated, inclining his head slightly. Kurt could smell the cinnamon scent of the other boys breath and it made his knees weak. If he hadn't already been pressed up against the counter, he didn't doubt that he might have crumpled to the floor.

"But we….oh god…" Kurt turned his face away, unable to look into Pucks' eyes any longer. It was too intense, and his foolish heart couldn't seem to slow the hell down.

Puck's hands fell away from Kurt's face and he expected him to back away. But instead, Puck stepped closer so that Kurt felt the warm heat of his chest against his back, and Puck's breath close to his ear as he spoke.

"I know. I don't understand it either Kurt, but I know."

As much as Kurt wanted to let himself drown in the sensation of having the object of his affection so close, and so ….willing…. he forced himself to bring them both back to reality. He had to know what was going on, and whether it was real.

"You're straight Noah." He said quietly, gripping the edge of the counter for dear life.

"I never said I wasn't." Puck murmured against his ear, his lips just shy of touching Kurt's skin. His voice was still calm, but less steady this time.

"Then what are we doing?"

Puck let out a breathy sigh and for a moment Kurt suddenly felt like Cinderella hearing the last chime of midnight. He tried to memorize everything about his one moment of teenage perfection, to catalog it for reminiscing later on.

Puck moved away from him and Kurt's heart sank as the other boy moved back to where the forgotten pie crust dough lay on the countertop. He watched as Puck's tanned fingers carefully arranged it in the tin the way Kurt had shown him.

"Do you remember earlier when you asked me why I didn't go with Santana?" Puck asked quietly.

"Yes."

"I meant what I said then about being over the whole 'no-strings attached' flings. I used to think that was so ideal, having no emotions involved. But it actually kind of sucks."

Kurt listened carefully, trying to ignore the sense of loss that flooded through him when Puck had stopped touching him. He was almost scared to respond, that he would break Puck's honest thought train.

"I thought I wanted that, to be numb. I thought that made it easier." Puck's breath hitched a little. "But it did the opposite Kurt, it made so fucking numb I couldn't feel _anything_."

Kurt bit his lip to stifle a moan. He knew exactly how that felt. His whole snotty ice queen persona had developed from the same feeling.

"What are you saying Noah?" Kurt couldn't stop himself from using Puck's real name. This whole conversation was too honest for him to say 'Puck'. Kurt couldn't bring himself to look at the other boy as he waited for a response, instead he busied himself with finishing the pie and putting it in the oven.

"I…can't …" Puck whispered.

Kurt sighed and his shoulders sagged. He'd known he was playing a dangerous game here, pushing the other boy to define the bizarre behavior they'd fallen into. He'd known it was too good to be true. Keeping his back to Puck, he moved toward the sink of dishes, unable to help the feeling of disappointment that draped over him like a cloak.

"Damnit Hummel…." Puck growled and suddenly Kurt found himself spun around and pinned between the fridge and Puck's chest, the bigger boy holding him gently by the shoulders.

"I'm saying that I'm tired of being numb. It started that night…you….god you made _me feel something_ Kurt! I don't understand it, but it's_ there_.…. I don't know what that means, but I know I'm fucking terrified of losing it!" Noah's voice was thick and heavy with emotion, his dark gaze so intense that Kurt couldn't tear his eyes away.

"Noah…" Kurt's voice was shaking.

"I know this is insane, but …I want to find out." Puck took a ragged breath and closed his eyes, leaning his forehead down to rest against Kurt's. "Don't you?"

A damn broke inside of Kurt's mind at the other boy's words. Feeling and heat rushed through him, all his walls of ice crumbling in it's wake. He moved a hand up to rest against Puck's chest, astonished to feel the hammering heartbeat underneath.

"More than anything."

PUCK

Puck didn't know exactly how he'd gotten here. Standing in the Hummel kitchen, as Kurt instructed him how to roll pie dough, at first he'd been skeptical, but his sweet tooth couldn't resist the idea of the chocolate pecan pie. He'd never heard of such a thing, but it sounded amazing. Cooking had been fun, the whole chopping stuff had been easy, but something was unnerving him.

For some reason, Kurt had been avoiding meeting his eyes the whole evening. They'd talked, but the other boy had always kept his eyes directed elsewhere, anywhere but at him, and as the time wore on Puck found himself deeply missing the soft blue gaze.

Finally he mustered up the nerve to call Kurt on it, but the other boy had deftly dodged the question and instead moved up to reach for a dish. As Puck watched him stretch up on tiptoe, instinct suddenly took over. He moved to grab the dish easily, placing himself directly behind Kurt who went rigid.

As Puck voiced his question, more directly this time, he was struck by an intense rush of feeling. The emotion that he never had let himself feel with others was slamming to the surface, so much so that when Kurt stammered a denial he couldn't keep his hands off the other boy. The urge to touch him was so strong that Puck's heart pounded as his fingertips made contact with Kurt's throat. The pale skin was so soft and smooth under his touch, and he could feel the rapid pulse that beat frantically underneath. His mouth was dry as he turned Kurt's face to look at him over his shoulder. As he finally looked into those aquamarine eyes, Puck suddenly felt calm and content.

Despite the peace that came over him as he stroked his thumb over the soft skin of Kurt's jaw, he could feel the other's boys pulse beating frantically under his touch, and he could hear the panicky quick breaths that came out of him. Kurt's words were broken and staggered as he tried to form sentences. Puck was vaguely aware of being happy that his touch seemed to affect the other boy so much, hoping that somehow this feeling that rushed through him would be reciprocated. He attempted to calm the other boy, but Kurt stayed tense and unable to form a coherent statement. But it was the breathy moan of 'oh god' that nearly broke Puck's control.

Suddenly it no longer mattered that Kurt was a boy, or that Puck had only had experience with girls. At the sound of that desperate plea, he suddenly needed to touch more of the other boy. Afraid of scaring Kurt with anything more, he just moved forward to lean his chest against Kurt's back. He murmured something to Kurt's ear, and this close he could smell the cologne the other boy used. It was spicy, but somewhat feminine, and Puck tried to memorize the scent. It was different, and intoxicating, much like Kurt himself.

Puck's thoughts were brought back by Kurt's sudden change of topic about his sexual preference. With a sigh Puck pushed away from the other boy to give him space. He tried to explain his revelation that he'd come to after his encounter with Santana. But as he talked he got a feeling that Kurt was missing his point. He looked over in time to see Kurt's shoulder's sag, and Puck couldn't stop the instinct that came over him. With a quick move he spun the smaller boy and pinned him against the fridge. He was rewarded by the image of Kurt's wide eyes staring at him in surprise. Suddenly the truth flowed out of him like water.

As he talked, emotion surged through his veins, demanding and hot. Being this close to Kurt, having his face just inches away was affecting Puck deeply. On a primal level he fought against the urge to just move that last inch and kiss the other boy. While he'd never even considered the possibility before, suddenly it was all he could think of. But looking into Kurt's shocked face, he knew that such a bold move would likely give the smaller boy a heart attack, so he settled for gently touching his forehead to Kurt's and admitting the truth about what he wanted….simply to "find out".

That was when he'd felt it, the sweetest thing …Kurt's gentle hand on his chest. His heart sped up in response to Kurt's answer.

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"Hey….Kurt? I'm home." Burt Hummel's voice called from the front door, and the spell that had been cast over the two boys was suddenly broken. Puck quickly moved over to the sink to take over the dishes, not wanting to freak out Kurt's dad. He stifled a smile as he saw Kurt's shaking hand go for his bangs.

Burt Hummel appeared in the kitchen a moment later, and quirked an eyebrow at the scene before him. Puck tried to paste on a nonchalant smile and tossed a greeting over his shoulder.

"Hi Mr. Hummel."

"Evening Noah….Kurt?" Burt returned his greeting, but he met his sons eyes and Puck sensed something unspoken passing between them. Whatever they communicated relaxed the elder Hummel.

"Something smells amazing…what have you guys been up to in here?"

"Trying to teach our running back here how to feed himself without a drive through." Kurt joked as he started to set the table.

"Nothing wrong with drive thru's Noah…don't let him corrupt you."

"Dad!" Kurt chastised.

"Wait a minute…that smell….Kurt is that…." Burt moved to peer through the oven glass at the baking pie, his face beaming.

"Yes, chocolate pecan pie…your favorite." Kurt said happily as he laid out silverware.

"What's the occasion? I thought you were banning sugar from my diet." Burt straightened up.

"Not banning it, just restricting. Only one piece tonight, and the ice cream is nonfat, okay?" Kurt smiled at his father.

"I'll take it. If you'll excuse me…I'm gonna go change, got some grease on these pants today." Burt turned to leave the room.

"Leave them on the washer and I'll stain treat them after dinner." Kurt called after his dad. Puck had to stifle the chuckle that bubbled up in him at Kurt's display of domesticness. He finished the last of the dishes and wiped his wet hands on his jeans.

As he turned around, he caught Kurt wrinkling his nose

"We have dishtowels for that."

"I know, this was quicker, and my jeans aren't designer." He teased, delighting in the slight blush that spread across Kurt's cheeks. Puck grabbed a chair and sat, watching Kurt and trying to figure out just what it was about the other boy that intrigued him so.

He chose a safe topic of conversation. "So…do you not let your dad eat dessert usually or something? He seemed pretty surprised."

Kurt began dishing up dinner onto plates as he answered. "No, I do…he loves them. But since his heart attack….we're just more careful." The lower tone of Kurt's voice spoke volumes about just how much his dad's health scare had affected him.

"So why now? Did the doc give your dad a green light?"

Kurt set the plates on the table and paused, keeping his gaze downcast. "No….we're still careful…but you're here…and you said you liked them…desserts I mean…so I thought….well…" Kurt began to stammer, and Puck reached out to grab a hold of his hand.

"You mean…that you did it for me?" Puck knew his voice sounded shaky, but he couldn't help it. No one _did anything_ just for him…and he was unprepared for the rush of feeling that accompanied Kurt's confession.

"Kinda." Kurt gently curled his fingers around Puck's.

Puck couldn't stop staring at their entwined hands, Kurt's pale skin such a contrast to his tanned scarred knuckles. "Why?"

"Isn't that what you do…..when you…like someone?" Kurt's voice dropped to barely a whisper and his hand was trembling.

Puck felt his words ball up in his throat, making it hard to swallow. He noticed Kurt's shiver.

"You're shaking…are you cold?" Puck smiled up at him, unable to contain the warm pleasure that flowed through his veins and pooled in his chest.

"No….I just….I don't know how to be with someone….like this…I've never…." Kurt rambled, and Puck was beginning to realize that the normally eloquent diva lost his gift for words when rattled.

"Neither have I." Puck murmured, still holding Kurt's hand tightly. "But can I make a suggestion?"

Kurt nodded.

"Don't think about it so much Kurt. You're not going to get graded or judged on your performance. I'm as new to it as you are." Puck rubbed his thumb gently across the back of Kurt's hand, hoping to calm the other boy a bit.

"But you've been with so many….and I….I've never come close…" Kurt closed his eyes for a moment, dark lashes lying against such pale cheeks.

Puck wanted to lie…but the truth flowed from him too fast, too easily around Kurt. "I have…but none that I cared about Kurt. In that respect, you're my first too."


	12. Falling

PUCK

Burt had been right to be excited about the pie…Puck thought, smiling blissfully as the chocolate sugary dream flowed across his tongue. He couldn't hold in the contented hum that bubbled up out of his chest at the sweet taste. When he opened his eyes he found both Hummel's chuckling at him.

"It's my favorite for good reason." Burt laughed, quickly devouring the one piece that Kurt had sliced for him. Kurt's blue eyes glowed with pride as he picked at his own small piece of pie, claiming that he didn't really need the calories but couldn't pass up the dessert altogether.

Puck happily accepted a second piece and then jumped up to help clear dishes. He felt happy and contented just hanging out with Kurt and his dad, listening to Burt chatter about the customers at the garage, and Kurt's babbling about school and his dislike for Rachel Berry's wardrobe. Their home was comfortable and inviting and he felt lucky just to be welcome there.

Later as they settled down in the living room to watch a movie, Burt joined them again and Puck found himself wondering if this was Mr. Hummel's version of_ 'checking out_' his child's potential suitor. The thought had made Puck chuckle a little to himself, but he had put on the DVD of 'Resident Evil' anyway and then flopped on the couch beside Kurt while Mr. Hummel stretched out in the recliner.

The movie was one of Pucks' favorites, he'd seen it many times, but it was twice as fun watching it with Kurt, listening to the various squeaks and squawks that came out of the smaller boy during the scary scenes. About halfway through, Burt excused himself with a yawn and headed for bed, leaving the two of them alone with the television.

A moment later, another zombie attack started up and Puck laughed as Kurt jumped and cringed on the sofa. He glanced over and saw that the pale boy had his hands over his face, but was peeking through his fingers. Puck felt his heart skip a little at the sight, it was endearing, and it reminded him of watching television with his sister when she was younger. She still had to leave the room anytime his mom tried to watch Schlinder's List.

"You know, you'd see more of the movie if your hands weren't in the way." Puck said gently, reaching to slowly pull Kurt's pale fingers away from his face.

&J&J&J&J&J&J&J&

KURT

Kurt allowed Noah to pull his hands down, swallowing hard as the other boy didn't let go of the hand closest to him. He watched as Puck leaned back against the couch cushions and turned his eyes back to the film. Their joined hands lay between them on the couch, standing out against the dark brown upholstery. Puck unconsciously rubbed his thumb in circles across the back of Kurt's knuckles.

Kurt's body nearly hummed with pleasure at the prolonged, affectionate contact. Emotion rolled through him. Was this what it felt like to be with someone who wasn't afraid of physical contact? He tried to focus on the film again, despite the shiver that Puck's touch had sent over his skin. He let out a contented sigh, just soaking up the feeling that he had been missing, for so long.

Kurt felt so calm and content that suddenly the vicious zombies on the screen seemed much less real or frightening. He leaned back against the couch cushions and toed off his shoes. He risked a few more glances over at Noah, at their entwined fingers, and couldn't wipe the grin off his face. It felt so good to be close to someone, to someone that wanted to be close to him. He was just surprised that it had happened to be Noah Puckerman.

::::::

PUCK

As the movie approached its end, Puck tried to sort out what he was feeling. He'd never thought much about the possibility of being with another guy. But he couldn't deny the sense of belonging and growing attraction that he felt just sitting there with Kurt. He'd always been with girls, but while they'd sated his physical needs, none had elicited even a fraction of emotion in him. As he contemplated the idea, he felt Kurt's grip on his hand slowly go slack. He looked over and couldn't help but smile as he saw that Kurt's head had lolled back against the cushion, the other boy was fast asleep. As he stared at the smooth lines of Kurt's face…. Noah suddenly wanted all of it….whether it meant being gay, straight, bi…whatever, he wanted this feeling.

Noah reached for one of the throw pillows nearby and placed it in his lap. Gently he reached out to guide Kurt down to rest on it, draping his arm over the boy's shoulder as he lay down. The movie's climax was building, zombies' everywhere, a lot of screaming and chaos. Puck reached for the remote and turned the volume down. He stared blankly at the finale.

_Maybe I am gay_….he thought…maybe all those girls and women were just a way of denying it to himself. He risked touching Kurt again, ever so gently he stroked the other boy's dark hair. Kurt didn't wake, but Puck sighed as he felt just how soft Hummel's hair actually was. No doubt the boy used a number of girly products to make it that way, but Puck didn't care. The soft strands clung to his fingers, and Puck suddenly wondered if the answer to his dilemma was much less complicated than it seemed.

Maybe it didn't matter the classification of being gay, straight, or whatever. Puck leaned his head against the cushion and closed his eyes.

_Maybe it was just about who you fell in love with._

_*(*(*(*(*((*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(_

Burt Hummel awoke around midnight. His stomach growled and he rose, intending to try and sneak another piece of the pie that Kurt had made earlier. But as he descended the stairs, he was shocked to see what looked like the Puckerman kid still sitting on his couch, the glow of the television lighting the room.

From the upward angle, all Burt could see was the kid on the couch, his head back, eyes closed….and what looked like his son's head in his lap? Burt's blood pressure suddenly spiked as he came stomping down the rest of the stairs into the living room. He was just about to start yelling when he rounded the couch and came to a fast stop.

"Oh thank god!" He huffed as he saw that both the boys were sound asleep, and there was a pillow between his son's head and the other boy's groin.

He calmed down instantly, eternally thankful that he'd been wrong in his initial assumption. It was still strange to see his son curled up on the couch, with the bigger boys' arm draped over his shoulder. But Burt knew that it was just part of the reality of being a father to a gay son, and he sighed. At least this Noah kid seemed to genuinely care about Kurt. He'd seen the way the muscled boy had looked at his son through dinner, like he'd been seeing the sun for the first time. Despite Burt's slight awkwardness at his only child's date being of the same sex, he was happy to see the connection between the two be so positive.

But for now, he was going to have to set some ground rules, he decided. While he was grateful he didn't have to do the whole "no foreplay in my living room" speech, it was after midnight and the other kid's parents were probably wondering where he was. Burt leaned down and gently shook Kurt's knee.

Kurt woke slowly, feeling so warm and content that he fought it at first. But the gentle pressure on his knee made him open one eye. The blurry form of his father slowly came into focus and Kurt yawned.

"Dad?"

"Hey kid, time for your guest to head home."

"Guest….what?" Kurt mumbled groggily, but then slowly came aware of the heavy arm that was draped over him.

"You guys must have passed out in front of that movie." Burt clarified, straightening up.

That was when Kurt finally came fully awake and looked up to see that the pillow he'd been lying on was in Noah's lap, and the arm that held him was Noah's as well. Embarrassed, he quickly slid Noah's arm off of him and sat up.

"Noah….Puck…wake up!" He hissed.

Puck groaned at the sudden movement and rubbed at his eyes. Kurt momentarily lost himself in the childish way Puck pouted at being awoken. But he didn't have long to appreciate it before his father cleared his throat again.

"Kurt, your….company…needs to be on his way home in ten minutes."

"Okay dad." Kurt tried to smile, despite the awkward situation. He watched as his dad shuffled back towards the kitchen and he turned back to make sure Puck woke all the way up.

"Wake up!" He commanded, when he noticed that the other boy had leaned his head back once again.

"I'm awake." Puck groaned. "I heard your dad….I'm going." The bigger boy stretched and pushed himself up from the sofa. Kurt jumped up to retrieve Noah's jacket and followed him to the front door.

"Thanks for dinner." Puck mumbled, pulling on his jacket and slowly opening the front door to leave.

Kurt suddenly felt a sense of loss; he didn't really want Puck to leave. Nor did he want to piss off his dad, but he felt it all the same. He searched for the right thing to say, but drew a blank.

"I'll see you." Puck stepped out onto the porch and had started to walk to his car.

Kurt finally found his voice. "Noah….I…wait…"

The other boy turned then and Kurt faltered, just inside the door. He wanted to step out, but it was cold and he was only wearing his socks. But Puck hesitated for a moment, and then jogged back to the door.

Kurt opened his mouth try and say something, but before he could utter a word he found himself wrapped up in a tight embrace. Puck's strong arms wrapped around him and enveloped him in warmth. Any rational thought flew from Kurt's mind as he felt the other boy nuzzle his hair gently.

Puck's mouth moved near his ear to whisper. "Goodnight Kurt."

Kurt was unable to speak as he felt Puck's lips press gently to his cheek. It was fast and so gentle that Kurt was hardly sure that it had even happened. He felt himself trembling all over as the other boy then let go as suddenly as he'd come. Kurt watched as Puck walked quickly out to his truck and drove away.

Kurt backed into the house and shut the door, leaning back against the wall with a happy sigh. It was then that he heard the sound of his dad in the kitchen.

"You'd better not be getting into that pie again!"

_**Authors Note: Thank you for all the people that continue to read this story. I have such fun writing it. I love reading all the comments and reviews so keep it coming. I would like to add though, that if you catch copy/paste errors, please don't post the whole passage back in in the comments, just let me know and I'll fix it. :) Thanx. Enjoy.**_ ~ Vix


	13. Off track

KURT

When he didn't hear from Puck on Saturday Kurt didn't think much of it. In fact he realized quickly that he didn't even know Puck's cell phone number. It was probably for the best as he was still spinning after Friday night and knew that if he actually had the opportunity to talk to Puck he would be a stuttering mess.

He busied himself with chores and cleaning, anything to keep him from obsessing over the other night. He tried to keep Puck completely out of his thoughts….that didn't go to well. It was all he could do to limit his memory replay to once per hour. And the only scene in his mind's play list seemed to be the moment on his porch, it was on permanent loop.

Kurt tried just about everything. He reorganized his closet arranging his clothing by alphabetical designer name, he'd scrubbed his bathroom, put his music in order by decade. But by Sunday afternoon when he stood in his room, debating a complete remodel, he had to stop himself.

"Okay, maybe I need to get out of the house." He mused, grabbing a coat and his keys.

But as he jumped into his Navigator and began to drive he still found his thoughts drawn to Puck. The skin on his cheek tingled as if Puck's goodnight kiss had just happened, and Kurt rubbed the spot softly. He sighed happily, turning down Mercedes' street and parking his car. He allowed himself one more moment to reminisce before he jumped out and headed for her door. He hoped that his friend wasn't busy.

Later…as Kurt preened in front of a three way mirror inside The Gap, he grinned at his reflection. The gray wool peacoat looked amazing on him, and it was on sale, which was a bonus. He waited for Mercedes to emerge from the fitting room to give the final vote. He'd been overjoyed when his best friend had agreed to join him for a little retail therapy. Of course, she wasn't aware that he was trying to keep his mind occupied and off a certain subject, but it didn't seem to matter. They chatted happily and tried on nearly every item in a handful of stores in the mall. He hadn't planned on actually buying much, after last weekend's splurge…but for this coat he was considering making an exception.

As he waited Kurt glanced out toward the big picture window walls of the store absentmindedly. The cold weather had brought a lot of shoppers out in force to the warm comfort of the Lima mall. The crowds mulled by, but then a gap in the passersby allowed Kurt to see a figure seated on one of the center benches. Kurt suddenly sucked in a shocked breath. Puck….. the one person he'd been trying NOT to think about.

The tall boy lounged on the bench, looking quite bored, surrounded by shopping bags. As Kurt gaped at the coincidence he noticed that one of the bags was pink, from the girly accessory shop down the way. Kurt's heart sank at the realization, Puck was waiting for a girl. There was no other explanation for him to be holding the handle of a bag from that particular store. Kurt suddenly felt as if he was going to be sick. It took him a good couple of seconds for him to hear Mercedes calling him.

"Kurt! Earth to Kurt!" Mercedes waved a hand in front of his face.

Despite her impatience, Kurt couldn't tear his eyes away from the window. Puck hadn't seen them yet, thank god. Suddenly the lack of communication that weekend from the other boy made perfect sense. Kurt began to second guess himself, now seeing all the events that had seemed so wonderful on Friday night in a new, sadder light. Perhaps Puck had just been lonely, perhaps he'd just been messing with him, maybe the other boy had thought about and realized that he was really too straight after all. Kurt felt as if he were going to cry.

"Kurt, talk to me! You look like you just saw a ghost." Mercedes stepped in front of him, breaking his view of the window.

Kurt tried to cover up his feelings. "Sorry…I was just remembering some homework I forgot about."

"Oh..well you'll still have time when we get back." Mercedes soothed, but he could tell by her eyes that she was skeptical of his lie.

Kurt tried not to look back toward the window, knowing that if he actually had to SEE Puck with his date, it might kill him.

"Come on Kurt, that jacket looks amazing on you!" Mercedes said brightly, patting his shoulder.

Kurt looked back at his mirror image, seeing the uncomfortable fact that his already pale skin had gone a clammy shade of stark white, the blush in his cheeks standing out like he'd been slapped. He tried to smile and focus on the well fitting coat, but in the reflection he saw a sight of horror.

Puck had risen from the bench and was walking, with the shopping bags, toward the door of the store. _Had he seen them? Was he coming to gloat? To rub in his betrayal?_ Kurt didn't know if he could handle that, he quickly grabbed Mercedes hand and pulled her behind a nearby clothing rack.

Now his friend's suspicions went on red alert, she grabbed the lapel of the jacket and forced him to look at her. "You had better tell me what is going on right now Kurt Hummel!"

"Shh….just a minute…" Kurt glanced back toward the front of the store where Puck stood, staring at a display of men's scarves. Mercedes followed his eyeline.

"What the hell? Puck? Is that who we're hiding from?"

"Mercedes please…" Kurt whispered.

"No, tell me what's going on. Did he threaten to beat you up or something? Because if he's started that bullying crap again, then I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind!" She glared over in Puck's direction and Kurt didn't doubt that the girl would stomp over there and read Puck the riot act if he indicated so.

"No, nothing like that….it's complicated." He tried to keep his voice low, keeping one eye on where Puck stood, now gently fingering a charcoal colored scarf…._that would match my jacket perfectly…..oh god, not NOW_! He chided his thoughts and quickly ducked back in the fitting room, pulling his friend along. Once he had the door shut safely he let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Okay, you have 10 seconds to tell me exactly why we are hiding from Puckerman, or I am going to scream…10, 9, 8…" Mercedes was solemn as she started to count down and Kurt could tell there would be no fooling her any longer.

He took a deep breath. "No, don't. I'll talk…the last two weeks…Puck and I….we've been hanging out …and closer. I didn't tell anyone because I didn't understand it myself…but now he's out there, on a date with some girl….and I really don't want to see him….so please, don't scream." Kurt blurted it all out in a mess of tangled sentences.

Mercedes looked completely shocked. "So you….and Puck?"

"Sort of….kinda…well maybe not really…..and definitely not if he's out there getting ready to seduce some dimwitted Cheerio in a short skirt…" Kurt grumbled, shrugging off the coat he'd been so taken with moments ago.

Mercedes quickly recovered from the bombshell and took the jacket from him, placing it carefully back on the hanger. She turned then, her hand on the door handle, Kurt's eyes widened.

"What are you doing?" He hissed.

"Stay here. I got this." She slipped out of the room before he could stop her. Kurt's stomach flipped as he cracked the dressing room door just enough to see out into the store, watching as his friend carried the coat to the register area….just next to where Puck was still standing.

PUCK

_God he hated the mall,_ Puck thought. The only benefit to the teeming mass of people and stores was that it was warm here. The temperature outside had dropped quite low this weekend and his mom kept the thermostat under lock and key at their house due to high bills that she couldn't afford.

He sat on the bench, fiddling with his phone as he waited for the girls to get done in the music store. He thought about calling or texting Kurt, but every time he tried something stopped him. He didn't want to seem overeager, and in his past dating relationships he'd never been the one calling, he'd always let the girls do that. Plus he didn't know if he'd overstepped his bounds the other night, with that whole kiss on the cheek business. He honestly hadn't planned on it, but he'd been sleepy and off his game, and the sight of Kurt standing in the doorway in his socks, his hair mussed from sleep, looking so unsure. He'd wanted to give the other boy something….anything to reassure him. So he'd just gone on instinct, wrapping Kurt up in his arms for a moment.

Puck smiled to himself as he put his phone back in his pocket. He would talk to Kurt tomorrow at school, he thought. He devised a plan to wait near the dumpsters, just to make sure that Karofsky or some other jock idiot didn't try to toss Kurt, and then he would walk him to class. He'd seen how happy it had made Kurt last week when he hadn't been tossed or slushied, and it was the least Puck could do.

He glanced toward the store in front of him. He never shopped at The Gap, but a display near the front caught his eye. He grabbed the bags and glanced behind him into the music store to see that the girls were still caught up in perusing the CDs. He quickly grabbed their bags that they'd asked him to watch, and walked into the other store.

Coming up on the display stand of men's scarves he smiled a little. He'd never worn a scarf, like ever. But he knew exactly who did, and he carefully touched the dark gray scarf with the black pattern. This one was soft….to soft for someone like him really….but he knew a certain pale brunette who would love it.

He quickly tugged it from the stand and moved to the nearest register. He paid for the overpriced accessory quickly and tucked the bag in amongst the others he carried. He turned around, hoping to be back at his bench before the girls noticed his absence. But as he turned, he found himself staring into the face of Mercedes, the black diva from glee club.

"Hey Aretha." Puck tried to act nonchalant.

"Hi Puck. I didn't know you shopped here." She said, as she moved up to the counter, a gray jacket in her hands.

"I don't usually."

"So why today?" She asked, as she paid for the coat.

Puck scrambled for an answer. "I was bored, I'm waiting for someone."

"Anyone I know?" She took her bag, and looked at him with a searching gaze. Puck suddenly had a feeling like he was being interrogated, and he began backing toward the door.

"No, you don't know them." He said quickly, not bothering to say goodbye as he escaped back into the mall.

Mercedes didn't follow him thank goodness, and he didn't think much of the fact that she'd already paid, but instead of heading out behind him, she walked back into the depths of the store. He was just thankful that she hadn't followed him, and he quickly walked to collect the girls from the music store and usher them out of the mall.

.,/.,/,/.,/.,/.,/.,/.,/.,/.,/.,/.,/.,/.,/.,/.,

KURT

Kurt tried to recompose himself as he saw Puck leave and Mercedes return to where he hid. She quickly ducked back into the fitting room with a small smile.

"I tried. He wouldn't say who he was with." She said softly, handing him the bag.

"What did he say?" Kurt couldn't help himself, even as his heart felt as if it might break.

"Not much, just that he was waiting for someone, and that it wasn't anyone I knew." Mercedes pulled him from the safety of the small booth and tugged on his hand.

"Come on, let's go get some ice cream upstairs…you look like you could use it."

Kurt wanted to protest that the last thing he needed was empty calories, but at that particular moment, a hot fudge sundae sounded like the perfect thing to drown his sorrows in. He let her pull him toward the escalators, thankful that there was no sign of Noah Puckerman, or whatever bimbo Cheerio he was escorting.

"Are you going to be okay?" Mercedes asked softly, as the moving staircase carried them upward.

Kurt nodded, unable to speak over the lump in his throat. In reality he was the furthest thing from 'okay'. He felt stupid and naïve, as a million reasons for Puck's change of heart chased each other through his mind.

Mercedes attempted to distract him. "It's all right, I won't make you tell me anything. But you do owe me for the jacket."

KURT

By the next morning, Kurt decided that he'd moped enough. When he woke up too early he bundled up in sweats and headed out to the treadmill in the garage. He'd convinced his dad to buy it from the neighbors at a garage sale that summer, it had been just after he'd read some article in GQ about how running was the perfect exercise to maintain a slim but toned male silhouette. He hadn't used it as much as he'd intended to, and his dad had occasionally made jokes about how it was just an oversized clothing rack. But today, with all the nervous energy coursing through him….he wanted to run.

Kurt had never been athletically inclined for any sport but dance, but running was simple enough that he didn't have much trouble finding a steady rhythm. The garage was cold, but his sweat suit kept him warm enough as his heart rate began to hit that stride. Soon enough he was comfortable enough to up the speed, his sneakers pounding against the belt. As he focused on his breathing, he tried to think of how he would handle school today.

Until the night before, he'd thought that going to school would be a good thing, he'd be able to see Puck again, perhaps even talk to him about what was going on between them. But after what had happened at the mall, he wasn't sure if he even wanted to see the other boy, let alone have that conversation. His lungs began to burn from the cold air but he kept going, trying to sort everything out.

As he replayed their date in his head he tried to understand why Puck would have been out with a girl two nights later. Hadn't _Puck_ been the one who had pinned him against the fridge and claimed to want to 'find out' what was going on? Hadn't _Puck_ been the one who'd …..touched him. Kurt nearly missed a step on the belt as he remembered just how hot Puck's fingers had been on his neck.

"Oh….Noah….damn it…." Kurt huffed as he finally decided that his body had gotten enough punishment. He leaned down over the bar of the treadmill to catch his breath, resting his head on his arm.

"Son? Are you all right?" His dad's voice broke through his confusion. He straightened up to see Burt lounging against the doorway in his pajamas.

"Hey Dad….I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me Kurt….you're terrible at it." Burt sipped at the glass of orange juice in his hand and looked at his son with clear eyes. "What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Kurt clung to his denial for a moment longer.

"The fact that you are out here at six thirty in the morning…running on that treadmill. You hate getting up early, and the last time I saw you use that thing was months ago." Burt said simply.

Kurt stepped off the machine and followed his dad into the house, grateful for the warmth that it offered. His dad led him to the table and sat down. Kurt grabbed the other chair.

"It's just…..I' m confused I guess."

"About what?"

"Noah." Kurt couldn't stop himself from saying the other boy's name, but he immediately regretted it as pain knifed through him.

"The Puckerman kid? I thought you two were getting along." Burt downed the rest of his juice.

"We were…we are…it's just….complicated."

"Didn't look that complicated the other night Kurt." His dad met his eyes with a serious look. Kurt shivered as he remembered the warmth and comfort of waking up with Noah's arm over him on the couch.

"Well, it's different now."

"What changed so much?"

Kurt sighed, letting the truth fall from him. "Mercedes and I saw him at the mall last night….he was out with a girl."

Burt was quiet for a moment. "Did you see her? The girl he was with?"

"No."

"Did Mercedes?"

"No."

"Then how do you know son?" Burt's voice was slow and sure.

"Because…I just know." Kurt didn't feel like explaining the shopping bags that Puck had been carrying, or the fact that he knew exactly what store each type of bag had originated from.

"Well, it seems to me you have two options Kurt. You can either be a man and just come out and ask Noah about what happened, or you can hide from it and possibly lose out on something you want."

Kurt's breath caught. His dad sometimes had this scary way of going psychic on him at random moments. "But I….."

"Listen Kurt, you like Noah don't you?"

Kurt nodded, unable to swallow over the lump in his throat.

"I saw the way the two of you were the other night. The feeling seemed pretty mutual. I think you should talk to him, at least so you can know that you were honest and up front about the situation. That way, no matter what happens you won't have any regrets." Burt explained.

Kurt nodded, his father was right, despite how much he didn't want to admit it.

"Okay, I'll ask him." Kurt rose, knowing that if he didn't get in the shower soon he wouldn't have enough time to go through his beauty ritual. "Thanks Dad."

"Anytime kid." His dad smiled at him and Kurt headed for his room.

"Oh, and Kurt?"

"If it turns out that Puckerman isn't what you hope, don't get too down. There's someone out there for you."

Kurt sighed, hoping that his father was right.


	14. Look at Me

PUCK

Puck was just about at his wits end as Monday afternoon rolled around. Kurt had been nowhere to be seen all day long. He'd hoped to catch him in the parking lot, but when the first bell had rung and everyone had gone into class, Kurt's Navigator still hadn't appeared. Puck even gained himself yet another tardy by waiting another ten minutes.

He didn't catch sight of the smaller boy in the hallways either, and Puck began to wonder if maybe Kurt had stayed home sick or something. The plastic GAP bag was carefully tucked into a pocket of his backpack, and every time he opened it to retrieve a book Puck's eyes were drawn to it. He'd hoped to surprise Kurt that day with the gift, but as each hour ticked on with no sign of the other boy, Puck's mood darkened. Just like the gathering clouds outside that indicated yet another winter storm was coming….Puck felt cold and down.

But as he trudged into Glee club with heavy steps, he was shocked to see Kurt sitting in the front row, the hood of his gray jacket pulled up around his face. Puck's heart suddenly went crazy, beating much too fast, and it made him feel lightheaded. Kurt didn't look up, but when Puck looked closer he saw that the other boy had headphones in his ears, and his eyes were closed as he gently nodded along to the music.

Mercedes was seated in the chair beside him so Puck quickly clambered up to grab the seat just behind Kurt, not missing the fact that the pale boy had yet to open his eyes to notice his presence. Puck felt a gnawing sense of dread as he tried to muster up the courage to get his attention. There was a strange vibe coming off of Kurt, something that simply said 'hands off'. Puck was just about to say something to him when Mr. Shue walked into the room and called the class to attention.

Throughout the lesson Puck was distracted and tense. Kurt didn't turn around once to look at him and Puck's heart couldn't seem to find its rhythm, speeding up and slowing down alternately. He could feel that something was bothering the other boy, and he wanted desperately to gather him up in his arms and ask him about it. He sat on his hands, as he knew that such a public scene in Glee club was undoubtedly a bad idea. He began to wonder if it _was him_ that was the problem. Perhaps he'd been right in thinking that Kurt wouldn't be interested in a jock like him, someone who had never thought about fashion or hair products, someone so unlike himself. Puck felt his chest constrict.

Puck couldn't help but notice that Kurt kept his eyes forward throughout the entire lesson. Not once did he turn to look behind him. Puck felt desperate, he'd gone nearly three days without seeing Kurt and it felt like an eternity. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair; he'd never felt this type of 'want' before. He _wanted_ Kurt to turn and look at him, to see those blue eyes and know that everything was going to be okay. _He wanted_ to see Kurt's face smile at him, to touch him….he _**wanted**_ all of it, so badly. Puck was so distracted that he barely heard a word Mr. Shue spoke that class, the teacher could have been explaining the meaning of life and Puck would have missed it.

When the endless hour finally drew to a close and the final bell rang Puck chanced it. Acting like he was reaching for his bag, he grabbed Kurt's hand that hung down beside his chair and leaned down to whisper.

"Please Kurt…wait a minute."

He saw Kurt's posture stiffen in his chair at the touch, but he made no move to escape and Puck was finally able to draw in a deep breath. He watched as everyone left the room, leaving them alone finally.

Puck immediately jumped down into the front row, spinning a chair around so he could sit backwards on it in front of Kurt. And finally, _finally_ Kurt lifted his head and fixed that blue gaze on him. Puck suddenly felt as if he could fully breathe, but something was off about Kurt's expression. The pale boy looked wary, like a wounded bird and Puck suddenly felt as if he was on shaky ground.

"What do you want Puck?" Kurt asked softly.

"To talk to you, I looked for you all day." Puck admitted, wanting to reach out and grab Kurt so badly that he clutched at the plastic of the chair.

Kurt didn't say anything, and averted his eyes downward, biting his lip. Something was wrong, and it chilled Puck to the bone.

"Kurt? What is going on? Are you okay?" Puck scooted his chair closer.

"I….I can't do this Puck." Kurt's voice lowered to a whisper, but the sentence echoed in Puck's ears as loudly as if he'd screamed it. Each word cut like a knife.

"Kurt…no…" Puck couldn't get out more than two words as a lump formed in his throat. He should have known better….anything he wanted was never his to have. Why should Kurt have been an exception?

"I knew that you….that you were straight….it's my fault. I should have never…." Kurt rambled breathlessly, his hands wringing in his lap.

"Wait….are we back to that? I told you…." Puck protested, scooting his chair another inch toward Kurt.

"I know…but it's okay that you changed your mind. I understand…." Kurt mumbled, but his voice was raspy and Puck winced as he realized that the other boy was trying not to cry.

"What are you talking about, Kurt?" Puck had to know, even if the answer killed him.

"I saw you….at the mall last night." Kurt finally looked up to meet Puck's eyes, and Puck could then see the tears that he was holding back. Puck wondered what on earth he'd said or done wrong to upset Kurt so much.

"Okay….so I was there….why didn't you say something?" Puck was completely confused.

"You were out with a girl…..it's okay, like I said I get it if you decided that you don't want to be….with me….that way…that you want to be with someone else…" One tear slowly escaped and slid down Kurt's pale cheek. As Puck watched, he felt something inside him break. But underneath the pain….Kurt's words slowly made sense, like pieces of a puzzle coming together.

"Oh god…" Puck stood up from his chair suddenly. Kurt didn't look, instead he stared down at the floor, tears coming from both eyes now.

Puck dropped down to his knees in front of the other boy, realizing that the this was the only way he could get Kurt to look at him, he grabbed Kurt's shaky hands in his own and held tightly.

"Kurt…you've got it all wrong. I don't want anyone else."

Kurt met his eyes then, sniffling a little. "What?"

"The girl? Kurt, I was at the mall with my _little sister_ and her friend. My mom bailed on taking them out, and I got roped into babysitting." Puck explained, squeezing Kurt's hands tightly.

Blue eyes widened in disbelief, and as Puck watched Kurt's cheeks flushed pink, the color so stark against his white complexion it looked as if he'd been slapped.

"Your sister…?" Kurt stammered.

"Yes, my twelve year old _sister_ and her friend." Puck said slowly, sliding his hands up to gently grip Kurt's forearms.

"Oh…..oh my god…I didn't see….I thought that you… were on a date..." Kurt babbled, pulling his hands away to cover his face in embarrassment.

"Don't." Puck murmured, pulling Kurt's hands back down. He'd missed seeing the other boy and didn't want him hiding his face now.

"But I….you've got to think I'm an idiot." Kurt moaned, as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"No." Puck moved one hand to settle on Kurt's hip, while the other reached for his face to softly wipe away the tear tracks. "You're a lot of things Kurt, but an idiot is not one of them."

"I'm sorry." Kurt whispered, meeting his eyes now and sniffling just the slightest bit. The relief that flooded through Puck was so thick that he felt as if a thousand pound weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Is that why you were avoiding me all day?" He asked, reaching around to tug the hood of Kurt's jacket, so it fell down away from his face.

Kurt nodded. "I was scared….I didn't want to see you with some girl...I didn't think I could handle it."

Emotion swelled in his chest as Puck listened. No one had ever cared enough about him to feel jealous. He stood up and pulled Kurt with him. Those wide blue eyes stared at him, not sure what was coming. Puck gently moved his hands up to cup the other boy's pale face. Kurt's skin was soft and cool against his fingers and he leaned in to stare into the eyes that he had been missing.

"You don't need to worry about that. I don't want some girl. I want you." Puck whispered, coming so close that his lips brushed against Kurt's forehead.

Puck could feel Kurt trembling under his hands. "Why?"

Puck closed his eyes as he spoke. "Because I've never felt anything like what I feel for you. You're different, but it's a good thing. You don't make me feel like a loser, or like some lost cause."

Puck felt Kurt's hands come up to lay against his chest, but the smaller boy didn't push him away. Having Kurt so close was too much, and Puck slowly placed a soft gentle kiss against the other boy's forehead, then another against his temple. He felt Kurt's hands grip the fabric of his sweatshirt, balling it up in his fists.

"Someone might see…." Kurt mumbled, his breath stilted and heavy.

"I don't care." Puck had reached the end of his fragile control. He no longer cared who the hell saw them together. All that mattered was proving to Kurt exactly how he felt about him. He slid one hand around to the back of Kurt's neck, the other cupping his cheek and ever so gently leaned forward to press a soft kiss against Kurt's mouth.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

KURT

There were no words for the feeling that washed over Kurt as Puck kissed him. So many emotions rolled through his being that he ceased to think, all that was left was to feel. Puck's lips were softer than he'd expected, but that heat that Puck seemed to possess was in his kiss as well. It burned even hotter than the touch of Puck's hands against his neck. Suddenly the tears that he'd been ready to cry over the thought of losing Puck were ready to spill again, but he fought against it. Instead he gripped the fabric of Puck's shirt tightly in his fists, fighting to stay coherent.

Puck moved his lips against his slowly, and with such gentleness it made Kurt's knees weak. He would have never thought Puck possessed the level of care that he took in kissing him. He'd imagined Puck to be the type to just take what he wanted, to own the moment. But instead Puck's kiss was the opposite, gentle and pleading, with an underlying hint of desperation. And as Puck kneaded the back of his neck, Kurt suddenly felt as if the room was spinning.

Kurt reached up to grab onto Puck's shoulders, trying in vain to steady himself. He felt the taller boy smile against his lips. Kurt nearly swooned as Puck then wrapped his strong arms up around his back, holding him tightly as their lips moved together in the most perfect kiss Kurt had ever imagined. This was what first kisses were supposed to be, he thought, so sweet and passionate, and full of promise. All of the misunderstandings of the day fell away and Kurt let himself melt against the other boy, feeling perfectly safe in those arms.

Finally Puck pulled back to look him in the eye. Kurt nearly whimpered at the loss of Puck's hot mouth against his own, but the sight of those dark eyes smiling at him was just as good. At first he'd been afraid that he wouldn't measure up, as Puck had kissed so many others, and this had been his first. But the other boy didn't look shocked or disappointed in the slightest, he looked perfectly happy.

"Feel better?" Puck asked, leaning his forehead against Kurt's.

"Much." Kurt breathed, still hanging onto Puck tightly. He couldn't believe the turnaround from this morning. All day he'd been convinced that he was fortunes' fool, falling in love with someone who wasn't interested. And now here he was wrapped up in Puck's arms, after receiving the most sublime first kiss on record.

"Do me a favor?" Puck asked, his eyes still closed.

"What?"

"Don't hide from me again….I was worried about you." Puck murmured, moving to rain down soft quick kisses over Kurt's cheeks and nose.

"Why would you worry?" Kurt closed his eyes, delighting in the sensation of being touched so affectionately.

"Because of Karofsky, Azimio, and all those jerks, I worried that maybe they came after you again….and I worried….that maybe…you'd changed _your _mind." Puck said softly.

Kurt suddenly broke through his pleasure induced haze as he heard Puck's words. "Why would you think that?"

Puck slowly let go of Kurt, taking a step back. "Because, I thought you might not be interested in someone like me. I mean, I don't know anything about the clothes you like, or stuff like that." Puck rummaged through his backpack, looking for something.

Kurt smiled. Noah Puckerman had actually been insecure about his feelings for him? That was a switch. Puck normally was so sure of himself, it was a defining character trait. "That doesn't matter to me."

"Okay, good then." Puck pulled a small plastic bag from his pack. "I'm glad you wore that jacket though." He said.

Kurt was puzzled. "Why?" He picked up his satchel and slung it over one shoulder, trying to regain a sense of normalcy after the searing moment they'd just shared.

Puck suddenly stepped in close and draped a piece of fabric around his neck. Kurt looked down to see the Gap scarf that perfectly matched his jacket, the scarf he'd seen Puck touching at the mall last night. Kurt pulled his upper lip between his teeth as he realized what Puck had done.

"You bought that for me?"

Puck nodded.

"Noah…" Kurt's breath hitched as he said the other boys' name. His heart pounded furiously against his ribs, threatening to break right through.

Puck didn't answer, instead he gently tugged on the scarf to bring Kurt's face back close to his and leaned in to kiss him once more. This time Kurt was ready for it and closed his eyes as their lips touched. Once again he was struck by just how gentle the other boy was with him, and it made his knees weak. Puck's arm came around to hold him close, settling on the small of his back and Kurt melted against him. That was one of the things he'd fantasized about whenever he'd dreamed of his future love, strong arms that could hold him close and make him feel safe and loved.

But even as Puck kissed him, reality trickled in. They were still in school, in the choir room. And despite the fact that the last bell had rung sometime ago, Kurt didn't like the idea of anyone catching their private moment. He gently ended the kiss, pulling away just an inch or two. He could feel Noah's hot breath against his cheeks, and the small sound of loss that the came out of the tall boy plucked at his heartstrings.

"I have to get home, I promised my Dad…." Kurt mumbled, reluctantly stepping out of Puck's embrace.

"Are we…I mean….do you…" Puck fumbled for words as he picked up his backpack.

Kurt pulled the strap of his satchel up over his shoulder and walked to the doorway. He waited there for the other boy, listening until he heard Noah's footfalls come up behind him.

"Yes." Kurt said simply, hoping that Puck would get that the one little word was the answer to all his questions. The hand that grabbed his, entwining their fingers told him that Puck understood completely.


	15. Tensions Rising

PUCK

He'd used to hate school. He'd dreaded the alarm clock everyday, and trudged onto campus like one headed to the gallows. But not today, this morning Puck smiled slightly into his pillow as the alarm clock went off. He swatted at it until he found the right button to shut it off. Even as he dragged himself into the shower, the normal misery didn't set in. Instead as he stood under the scalding spray, images of Kurt Hummel's face flashed behind his eyes.

Puck smiled as he remembered Kurt's face as he'd leaned in. Puck had surprised himself even with his boldness that afternoon. But seeing Kurt so distraught had broke something inside him. He'd gone from not even being sure what was going on between them to pulling Kurt into his arms for a kiss. The moment his lips had touched the other boys, all hesitation had evaporated. Puck had kissed many girls and women before…but Kurt's kiss had left all the others behind.

Puck moaned under the water as he remembered the unbelievably sweet taste of Kurt's mouth. The pale boy had tasted of butterscotch and sweetness, in short, Kurt had tasted like the best dessert ever. And Puck had a sweet tooth. It was going to be hard to forget just how amazing that kiss was, but Puck didn't want to.

He quickly jumped out of the shower and dug through his dresser for clothing.

Not only had Kurt's kiss been so much more than he expected, the other boy hadn't pushed him away, hadn't rejected him in the slightest. In fact Kurt had even held tightly to his hand all the way out to their cars to reassure him. It was so much more than Puck had ever felt with any of his female partners before. He'd never wanted to see them as much as he wanted to see Kurt.

But as Puck dressed, a slight sense of warning ran underneath the blissful memory. As much as he wanted to think that the two of them would be free to explore their new feelings, he knew it wouldn't be that simple. There would be the football jocks to deal with, the potential freak out among the glee club members, and he was sure there was going to be some friction with Finn. But Puck tried to push the warning thought to the back of his mind as he ate breakfast and grabbed his backpack. All he cared about now was seeing Kurt at school, and today he planned to get there early.

Puck grinned as he saw Kurt's Navigator pull into the parking lot. Despite the fact that his truck was warm and the temperature outside was near freezing, he quickly jumped out of the cab. Puck walked quickly, his hands jammed in the pockets of his jacket. He watched as Kurt fussed with his head in the rear view mirror, and Puck couldn't help but laugh a little. For the amount of time that Kurt spent primping, he looked adorable even without it.

But Puck's smile quickly evaporated as he saw Kurt hop out of his car and instantly get shoved back against the side of it. Puck damned the fact that he'd parked on the other side of the lot and began to run. Two letterman jackets blocked his view of Kurt and he saw the pale boy's leather bag get tossed onto the ground, Puck ground his teeth together.

"Hey fairy…..wanna fly? Dumpster's nice and cold for ya…." Puck could hear the creepy slur of Karofsky's voice, and Azimio's laughter as he finally came upon them.

Without a thought he suddenly grabbed the back of the nearest jacket and flung it's owner to the ground. It wasn't hard with the icy sheen on the asphalt and Azimio glared up at him.

"What the hell man?"

Puck wasn't listening, instead he was dragging Karofsky away from Kurt, his blood boiling at just how close the chubby teen had been to Kurt's face. He pushed the heavy boy up against a nearby car, pinning his arms behind his back and smashing his face against the freezing hood.

"Puckerman! What's your problem?" Dave growled.

"My problem?" Puck hissed in his ear. "My problem is assholes like you two who can't seem to bag a chick so you get off on torturing someone smaller than you."

Azimio had finally picked himself up from the ground but instead of trying to help his friend, he took one look at Puck's raging eyes and held his hands up in surrender.

"All right man, you win, I'm outta here, it was Dave's idea anyway!" Azimio shrugged at Kurt and then walked away, leaving Karofsky to Puck's mercy.

"Now you listen to me….Dave…." Puck jeered, twisting the bigger boy's wrist until he yelled in pain. "No more messing with Hummel. I fucking mean it! If I ever so much as see you within three feet of him again…I'll thrash you so hard you won't be able to play until _nex_t year. Get me?" Puck growled.

Karofsky didn't respond for a moment, except to yelp in pain as Puck leaned harder against him, putting more pressure on his bent arm. But a soft voice suddenly reached Puck's ears.

"Noah, …you'll break his arm…please…" Kurt pleaded, tugging on the sleeve of his jacket.

"Fine….go!" Puck finally released the other boy, who collapsed against the car, then quickly scrambled back to his feet to get away. But not before he glared back at Puck and tossed out one last insult.

"Geez Puckerman, never would have figured you for a closet homo….even if you were,….didn't think you'd dig on ladyboys like fairy here." Dave barely finished the last word when Puck's fist slammed into his face.

Kurt let out a small squeak of horror and jumped in front of Puck shoving him away from the other boy until his back hit the cool metal of the Navigator. Puck tried to calm down as Karofsky swore at him and finally walked away, rubbing his sore jaw. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back. The cold surface of the car nearly burned his exposed scalp, but he was grateful for it because it helped bring him down from his rage high. That and the shivering boy pressed against his chest. Kurt's head was down and all Puck could see was that soft dark hair that he remembered touching the other night. He was struck by the want to run his fingers through it again but knew that Kurt would get upset if it was mussed just before school.

Instead Puck settled for moving a hand up to Kurt's neck to tip his face up to look at him. Kurt's cheeks were pink against his normal white complexion and he looked wary.

"Noah….why did you do that?" Kurt whispered.

"You have to ask why?" Puck smiled, feeling all the anger drain out of him as he stared into Kurt's face. "One thing you should know about me Kurt, I don't tolerate people messing with the ones I care about."

Kurt's mouth fell open and a flash of desire slammed into Puck as he fought the urge to kiss him. He remembered the sweet butterscotch taste of Kurt's lips and it was everything he could do to remain still.

"Noah….I…just…thank you…" Kurt said softly, stepping back from the close proximity. Both knew that a public display of affection wasn't something they should start up just yet. Especially not after what Puck had just done to the two jocks. That action would say plenty by itself.

"I appreciate it….more than you know. But don't mess with them anymore...you'll get sent back to juvie…" Kurt's tone took on a sad note.

Puck kept his hand over the spot where Kurt's neck met his collarbone, feeling the other boys pulse beating steadily under his touch. He allowed himself to drown in the blue of Kurt's eyes, even if only for a moment.

"Why? Would you miss me Kurt?" He said quietly.

Kurt's eyes fluttered closed as the blush in his cheeks darkened, and Puck could feel his pulse speed up a little. "Yes, I would."

Puck nodded and allowed himself to feel the sweet emotion that blanketed him. Kurt, it seemed, embodied so many 'firsts' for him. It felt so good to be needed, to know he'd be missed if he left. When he'd returned from juvie, it had truly hurt to see how little his presence, or lack thereof, had affected his friends. He had a feeling now that if the same scenario happened, there would be at least one person at Mckinley that would notice his absence.

The first bell rang loudly, jolting them out of their reverie. Kurt pushed away from Puck and recomposed himself quickly. Puck followed just a few steps behind, trying not to notice just how good Kurt's outfit looked on him.

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Puck. He actually made an effort to pay attention in his classes these days. While in juvie he'd thought quite a bit about his dreams of getting out of Lima, and he knew now that his poor grades would never afford him a way out. He needed to turn that all around somehow.

He had tried to keep his mind on his classes, and away from the brawl that morning. And he was pretty successful, until lunchtime that is.

p

GLEEGLEEvvGLEEE

As he walked into the cafeteria, his eyes instantly found Kurt at a table, laughing with Mercedes and Tina. Puck's first instinct was to go join them, but he knew that he'd added enough to fodder to the rumor mill for one day. Instead he spotted Mike, Artie, and Sam and sat down in an empty seat at their table.

The boys nodded as he sat down. Despite himself, Puck had actually come to like Artie quite a bit. Thanks to his help during study hall, Puck was on his way to passing geometry.

The guys ate in silence for a moment, but then Sam spoke up.

"So, you slugged Karofsky?"

Puck nodded. He still wasn't on real friendly terms with the new kid. But as he glanced up at him, Puck realized that the jealousy he'd felt against him had faded almost completely. It had been over Quinn, Puck realized, not really anything to do with Sam himself. And now that Puck had someone that was easing the ache Quinn and their baby had left behind, he found that he really didn't have a problem with Sam at all.

"He deserved it." Puck added.

"I don't doubt it…he's really gone from teasing to serious jerk bullying lately." Mike commented.

"I heard you did it cause he was picking on Kurt, is that true?" Artie asked.

Puck paused for a moment, deciding whether or not to lie. "Yes."

"Oh."

All three guys were silent for a moment, their eyes on their own lunch tray. Puck tensed, wondering if that honesty had been the wrong move.

But then Sam spoke again. "Well, good man. Somebody had to do it, he's really singled Kurt out lately and it's messed up."

Puck tried to stifle the anger that flared at Sam's words. Karofsky had been picking on Kurt specifically? He was suddenly convinced that what he'd done that morning had been the right thing, whether he got busted for it or not.

"Who knows what his problem is? But I figured that if we're all in Glee together, we might as well protect our own." He mumbled, trying to come up with a valid reason for why he suddenly felt so protective of Kurt.

All three sets of eyes gaped at him for a second, before Artie broke the silence.

"That's interesting."

"What is?"

"You are. Just because it used to be you, tossing us geeks into dumpsters and such." Artie mused. If it had been someone else talking, Puck would have taken it as an accusation, but he could tell that wasn't how the other boy meant it.

"Well, things have changed I guess." Puck shrugged.

"How?"

"I grew up I guess." Puck looked back down at his lunch as their conversation veered away from Kurt and Karofsky and what he'd done. Despite the ease at which they'd accepted his reasoning, Puck couldn't help but feel that the storm hadn't ended yet, that it was still building.

**Authors Note:**

**I hope you all are still enjoying this story. I like writing it, and I love reading the reviews. **


	16. All I want is You

KURT

Kurt would by lying if he'd said that he hadn't been shaken by what had happened in the parking lot that morning. He'd thought it was going to be a regular day when he'd pulled up. He'd been fixing his bangs in the mirror and had made the mistake of not checking out the cars he parked near. If he'd known that two of the jocks were lurking nearby he would have found another spot.

But almost as soon as his feet hit the icy cement, he was bashed up against his car. He was used to being shoved, against lockers, walls, doors. But this was harder and more intentioned. Someone yanked away his bag, and then Dave Karofsky was right in his face. Kurt had closed his eyes, trying to think himself away from where the chubby teen with bad breath was sneering at him. He'd been ready for them to drag him over to the dumpsters, but just before they'd grabbed him, someone had yanked both boys off him.

He'd opened his eyes to see Puck throwing one boy to the ground, then slamming the other one against the hood of a nearby car. Kurt had simply froze, not knowing how to react to Puck's anger. Karofsky was bigger than Puck, but the other boy held him tightly, twisting his arm painfully behind him. Kurt stood dumfounded as Puck threatened the other teen and he couldn't help the rush of happiness as he realized that Puck's reaction had been because of what happened to HIM. Kurt was used to being bullied, he hated every second, but it had become commonplace. No one had ever stepped in to help him much, until today. He'd gotten a rush of feeling like his knight in shining armor had finally shown up.

But his happiness quickly turned to fear as he realized that if he didn't do something, Puck was going to really injure the other teen, and that would have nasty repercussions for all of them. Kurt's heart had clenched as he'd thought of Puck being carted back off to juvenile hall, possibly for a much longer stay. One word flashed through his mind at the image…NO. Kurt moved toward the two fighting teens, he wasn't about to let go of his first boyfriend so easily.

He managed to convince Puck to let the other boy go, and then had tried desperately to calm both Puck and himself down. It hadn't worked, Kurt had simply traded one kind of excitement for another, as Puck had touched him. Right there in the parking lot at school, where any number of their friends or fellow students could see. Puck had laid his warm hand against his neck, causing him to break out in goose bumps all over. The desire to throw himself into Noah's arms had been strong and intense, and the memory of the kisses they shared simply threw fuel onto the fire. He was on the verge of surrendering when the class bell had saved him.

Now, Kurt felt as though he were walking on thin ice. Despite their moments together, going public with any kind of relationship was going to be a whole other story. Kurt knew better than to push his luck. He was sure Karofsky was going to start some nasty gossip, but Kurt had handled far worse before. Puck on the other hand was the wild card. He hoped the other boy would give him a clue as to how he wanted to handle all of this. Kurt tried to keep his mind on his classes, but a nagging fear ate at him. What if Puck decided that this whole thing wasn't worth the trouble?

At the end of the day Kurt sat anxiously in the choir room as the other members filtered in. He chose a seat in the front row today, and tried to make small talk with Brittany (albeit, it was _very small_ talk with the ditzy blond) while he acted as if he wasn't watching the doorway.

Puck sauntered in a moment later, his hands jammed in his pockets, eyes down. Kurt stiffened, unable to control his reaction to the other boy. Puck didn't look directly at him until he passed by, then tossed a small smile his way. Kurt looked down at his notebook, praying to god that his body didn't betray him by blushing. He wondered if Puck would sit with him, but the taller boy jumped up into the back row to sit there, just behind his chair.

Kurt let out a small sigh. But just as he allowed his shoulder's to drop down, he felt hot breath against the back of his neck. Every nerve in his body was wide awake again, as if brushed with a live wire.

"Hey." Puck's simple greeting might not have normally moved him, but with the intimate feeling of his hot breath against his neck…Kurt felt completely flustered. He flexed his hands against the fabric of his pants. Oh God…how could something as simple as Puck breathing on him get him this worked up?

Thankfully Mr. Shue walked in a moment later and called the class to order. He felt Puck lean back, and was finally able to gain control of himself enough to pay attention.

GLEECLUB GLEECLUB GLEECLUB

After class, Kurt gathered up his books and said goodbye to his friends. He wasn't sure of a next move. His romantic side begged for him to wait for Noah to walk with him, but his rational side argued that it was a bad idea. As his brain warred with his soul, he faltered near the doorway as the others filed out. He wouldn't let himself look in Pucks' direction, knowing that he'd be lost if he did. Finally his rational side won out, and he turned to leave, not wanting to embarrass Puck or himself by losing his cool.

But as he turned to go, a strong arm snaked around his middle and pulled him backward, yanking him off balance until his back hit a wall of muscle. Kurt's eyes scanned the room, but the last of the Glee club had left and they were alone as the sounds of the friends laughter faded down the hallway. Kurt relaxed against Puck's hold, leaning back against the inviting heat of the taller boys' chest.

"Kurt…." Puck's voice was so smooth it brought up images of dripping honey. He looked down at the muscled arm that held him in place, he never realized that strong biceps and forearms were such a turn on.

It was raining again, and with school letting out, the building emptied quickly. Puck reached over to flip off the fluorescent lights, never dropping the arm that held Kurt against him. Kurt shivered as the ugly lights clicked off leaving them in the dim light from the room's one window. The heat from Pucks' body seeped through their clothes, warming him quickly. Kurt let go of the strap of his bag, letting the satchel fall to the floor.

"Noah…what are we doing?" He murmured, leaning his head back against Puck.

"I just needed to hold you." Puck whispered, his breath hot against the sensitive skin behind Kurt's ear.

Kurt risked a touch, reaching out with the arm that wasn't trapped by Puck's hold. He skimmed his palm along the rough material of the other boys' worn jeans, resting it on the outside of Pucks' thigh. Kurt was melting, Puck's heat warming him to his core. It made him feel heavy and intoxicated.

"Why?" Kurt finally managed a question.

He felt Noah nuzzling his hair. "This morning….when I saw those guys…with you…it killed me."

Kurt allowed himself to get lose in the sensation of Puck's touch. It felt so amazing to have someone want him close, in _this_ way. He'd been so convinced he'd never have it, and it floored him just how good it felt.

"Whatever this is…you just make me feel…good. I was so used to being numb Kurt, and then you happened." Puck brought his other arm up to wrap around Kurt's chest, completing the hug, and he trembled violently as Puck mouth suddenly was on his neck, his lips so hot that it burned.

"Puck…Noah…_Oh my god_…." Kurt moaned, grabbing onto Puck's arm to try and remain upright. He was lost to all rational thought, all he could do was feel. The heat of Puck's touch, the burn of his mouth against his neck, the tight way Puck held him, all of it attacked his senses.

"I never knew that I could feel this way Kurt." Puck gripped him tighter, whispering the words against his skin in between kisses. "I told you….you're the first one…who ever did this to me ….I don't want to lose it, ever." Puck's mouth continued to trace a line of burning kisses over his skin, Kurt tipped his head to the side willingly, his eyes still closed. He didn't want to see the dimly lit classroom, he only wanted to feel.

"You mean…after all the others …you don't want…" Kurt mumbled, not able to finish as Puck's mouth suddenly pulled at his pulse point, making him gasp.

Puck released him only to roughly spin him around and grab him once more, their faces now inches apart. Kurt stared into those dark eyes, trying desperately to get a grip on his sanity, but that hope was lost as Puck continued. "All I want is you….and God I want you so much." Puck's mouth claimed his then and Kurt's world burst into flames.

PUCK

Puck had convinced himself that he'd caused enough drama for one day. But as he walked into Glee and caught Kurt covertly watching his entrance, he couldn't resist. He sat behind the pale boy and didn't miss the slight sigh that escaped him. He leaned forward, faking that his shoe needed to be tied. He gripped the laces but leant his face down very close to the smooth white skin of Kurt's neck. He blew a short puff of hot hair and smiled as he saw Kurt's frame suddenly go rigid. His senses perked up as he whispered a quiet greeting and then straightened up.

His mind wandered throughout Glee practice and he couldn't help but replay the scene in his mind from that morning. Seeing Kurt get cornered again in his memory brought up more emotion than he was prepared for. Anger and fury coiled inside of him as he saw again, in his minds eye, just _how fucking close_ Karofsky had been to Kurt's face. _What the hell was with that guy anyway?_ Dumpster tosses and slushies were one thing, (though he vowed that Kurt would be spared those in the future as well), but the leering face of Dave Karofsky leaning in so close to Kurt's terrified eyes made Puck's skin crawl. He flexed his fists for a moment as he tried to put the image out of his head.

He was almost thankful when it got to the choreography section of their rehearsal as it gave him a chance to use up some of that angry energy. His eyes flicked toward Kurt several times, and it calmed him to see Kurt smile as he practiced his steps for the new sectionals contender. He realized then that Kurt Hummel smiled more in Glee club than he ever seemed to during the rest of the school day. Puck suddenly wanted to change that, and he hoped that maybe by keeping the bullies at bay might help.

After rehearsal ended Puck saw Kurt's smile fade back into the normal tense expression he always wore in the halls. He watched as their classmates filtered out and finally it was just the two of them left, with Kurt standing awkwardly near the door. He wondered if the boy was waiting for him, despite the silence. He quickly advanced, but not before Kurt started to move toward the door. Puck moved fast, his body suddenly needing to touch the other boy, now that they had the chance.

He grabbed a hold of Kurt and yanked him back until the other boys back rested against his chest.. All the soft curvy female bodies he'd held before had never fit so perfectly against his form as Kurt's tight little frame did. He felt Kurt tense for a second against him, then slowly relax against his hold. Puck reached for the lights and switched them off, leaving the two of them in the dim room as he held Kurt tightly. He needed this, the feel of Kurt's body in his arms, reassuring him that he'd succeeded in protecting the object of his affection. He needed to feel that inviting tremble that drifted over Kurt's skin as he nuzzled his face against the other boys hair. Everything about Kurt seemed to fit into the holes inside his soul, healing him, making him feel whole again.

When Kurt's head fell back against him, exposing the smooth white skin of his neck, Puck could no longer quell the raging urge inside him. He dipped his head down to taste that soft skin that seemed to glow in the dim light. He groaned at the sugary taste of Kurt's throat, the fast beat of his pulse underneath. His soul growled possessively at the sweet flavor under his tongue and wondered how on earth he was ever going to be able to get enough of this boy. It no longer mattered to Puck that he was entering gay territory, hell he'd left that line in the sand far behind at this point. He simply no longer cared if Kurt was a boy, all that mattered was that he'd practically handed his heart to the pale faced teen and he hoped that the feeling was mutual.

Puck rambled between kisses, trying to explain what was going on inside him. But Kurt's hand on his thigh, and the breathy little moans that he made were wreaking havoc on his concentration. But as Kurt mumbled something about Puck's desire for others, he felt something inside him surge to the surface. He spun Kurt in his arms so that their faces were close, Kurt's vivid blue eyes were lidded and glassy with passion and that alone nearly broke Puck. He forced himself to say what he needed to, trying to make the other boy understand.

"All I want is you….and God I want you so much." He couldn't hold back the desire any longer and leaned in to kiss Kurt. Every nerve in his body sparked as their lips met and Puck growled deep in his throat as Kurt responded in kind, suddenly throwing his arms around his neck and holding tightly. He was surprised just how strong Kurt actually was, underneath all those prissy clothes.

As they kissed, Puck recognized that sweet butterscotch taste and wondered if Kurt ate some kind of candy that produced it, or if it was just part of him. Either way, Puck didn't care, he just wanted more of it. He fisted the material of Kurt's jacket, trying to restrain himself from physically tearing it off of the boy. His hormones raged, as well as his internal desire, both to claim and be claimed. He wanted more than anything to belong to the slender soprano who clung to him so tightly.

Both boys froze as the squeak of the door opening startled them. Puck's back was to the door and he quickly spun them both around the corner to hide them from view. He dislodged Kurt's arms from his neck reluctantly and looked around to see the tall gawky form of Finn walking uncertainly into the dim room.

"Hey dude." Puck moved away from Kurt, hoping to draw Finn's attention. It took everything he had to put on a calm face. His heart was still racing and his blood was still pounding through his veins heavy and hot, but he put on his usual smirk as Finn turned around, looking shocked.

"Oh, hey Puck." Finn nodded stiffly and Puck sighed. The two had used to be such good friends, but that was all gone now. All that was left was discomfort and awkwardness, Puck regretted it. "What are you still doing here?" Finn asked.

Puck followed Finn as he moved to the other side of the room to retrieve his backpack that he'd forgotten. He hoped that Kurt had enough time to hide himself, if that was what the other boy wanted.

"Oh…was just trying to work on those dance steps a little bit more. Don't want to look stupid when we're competing, you know." Puck rambled, knowing his excuse was pretty transparent. But Finn wasn't always the most perceptive and he hoped the tall boy wouldn't think much of it.

True to form, Finn simply nodded and slung his reclaimed pack over his shoulder. He walked back toward the door and Puck thought he was intending to just walk back out. But as his hand hit the knob Finn paused.

"I heard about what you did for Kurt this morning." Finn's voice rang out in the silence, the only other sound being the soft rain outside.

"Oh?" Puck was unsure of where Finn was going with that comment.

"Yeah. And I just wanted to say…" Finn looked over his shoulder. "well…I just wanted to say that I… I'm glad. Kurt…he needs someone to look out for him, even though he'd never admit it. I would …but…"

Puck watched as Finn's features twisted into a grimace, possibly of guilt. His eyes flicked toward where Kurt was concealed just around the corner, knowing he was listening.

"But what?"

"Our parents are engaged you know…so he's gonna be like my stepbrother soon. I want to help him sometimes…with those jerks, but he and I…we got into fight awhile back and I don't ….sometimes I feel like I'd just make it worse." Finn babbled, then let out a sigh.

"I know you and I don't….well since last year and all that drama went down. But when I heard about you punching Karofsky….well what I want to say is…" Finn looked right at him then. "..I'm sorry."

Puck sucked in a deep breath. "Thanks man, that means a lot."

Finn nodded and turned back to the door, walking through it quickly as if trying to escape the serious conversation.

Kurt walked out from his hiding spot then and moved to stand beside him. He was grateful for the fact that Kurt said nothing and merely let him digest what Finn had said. After a moment, Kurt retrieved his bag, then gently slipped his hand inside Pucks. The small gesture gave him a world of comfort and Puck let out the breath he'd been holding, he suddenly felt drained. He glanced over at Kurt and offered him a small smile, squeezing the hand that held his. His body still hummed from the desire high he'd been on and he could still taste the sweetness of Kurt's lips on his tongue, but his mind tried to process.

Kurt's blue eyes were calm and knowing and he leaned his head against Puck's arm. A part of him was happy for Finn's tentative forgiveness, but he wondered what the quarterback's reaction would be when he found out that not only was he _looking out_ for Kurt Hummel, he was rapidly falling in love with him.


	17. Worth the Risk

KURT

Just when Kurt thought he would spontaneously combust from the pounding fire that flowed through his veins, Puck spun them around and broke the kiss. At first it was everything Kurt could do not to whimper in protest. But as he heard the door opening, he instantly understood and let go of Noah to duck behind one of the rolling whiteboards.

He kept himself hidden as Puck and Finn finally had the moment that had been a long time coming. Kurt almost felt like he was intruding, but since Finn used his status as a bully magnet to start the conversation …Kurt figured he was okay to listen. He was a little irked at first to hear Finn mumble something about him needing to be looked out for. But as the tall boy then mentioned the fact that the two would soon be brothers, Kurt's irritation snuffed out. He listened as Finn admitted to wanting to help, but feeling that their fight made it too awkward. Kurt winced as he remembered that ugly scene in the basement room. Looking back, he really had overwhelmed Finn with his crush and even thinking about his behavior made his cheeks flame. But he was glad to hear that Hudson was not disgusted by the idea of them being related in the future.

Kurt chewed his lip as Finn finally apologized to Puck. So much had gone down between them, most of it during Glee club oddly. Kurt knew that Puck had been hurt by Finn's hatred and it had left a sting. As Finn left and he disentangled himself from his hiding spot, Kurt stayed quiet. Puck was still standing there, staring at the doorway Finn had left through. Some moments didn't require words, and Kurt felt that this was one of them. He wanted to show Puck some sign that he understood, that he was there for him if he needed it. He settled for simply holding the bigger boys hand and leaning his head against him.

He felt Noah's posture soften a little, and long calloused fingers entwine with his own. Kurt closed his eyes. There was something so nice about being able to just touch someone, and be touched. Kurt had never realized just how much he missed physical contact. So far he'd been pleasantly surprised how willing Puck was to be close to him, it was such a welcome change from his normal life of people shying away. His soul purred happily as Puck gently rubbed his thumb against the back of his hand.

They didn't say much, Puck merely walked him to his car. Kurt was reluctant to leave the other boys company, but he didn't want to press his luck. After he'd climbed into the drivers seat, he rolled down his window and Puck leaned up against the car to smile at him.

"Noah?" Kurt needed to ask the question that danced in his brain.

"Yes."

"Is this…." Kurt fumbled for words. "…you and me…is this okay? For you?" Kurt looked down at the steering wheel. He was scared to place too much faith in the bond that was growing between them. He was already falling quite hard, and knew that it would be crippling if it went much further and then was taken away.

But Puck reached into the car to grab one of Kurt's hands on the steering wheel, and Kurt forced himself to meet the other boys' eyes. Puck's irises were such a deep rich brown, like melting chocolate and it was all Kurt could do not to just drown in them.

"We're fine Kurt." Puck's voice was soft and sure.

Kurt's heart fluttered in his chest. "Really? It's for real?"

Puck glanced around the empty parking lot for a moment, then stretched up on tiptoe to lean his face through the open window, catching Kurt's mouth in a soft sweet kiss for just a moment. As he pulled away he smiled.

"This is the most 'real' thing I've ever felt."

Again Kurt's heart skipped out of rhythm for a second. But he couldn't hide the happiness in his face as he smiled back at the other teen. He only hoped that the sweet warm emotion that dripped down into his bones was there to stay.

glee

glee

Kurt began to sense the trouble two weeks later. He had spent nearly a month now being blissfully 'slushie –free', he'd also managed to go through the month with no dumpster dives, and only a few small locker slams. While he was thankful that the jocks physical assaults were kept at bay, he began to wonder if they were catching on as to why Puck was serving as his bodyguard. There was also the issue of Santana that was coming up again.

At first Kurt had been slightly intimidated by the Latina's previous sexual relationship with Puck. But Puck brushed off her every advance, and even when the arrogant cheerleader had all but straddled Puck's lap after Glee one evening. A jealous flash had blown through Kurt at her crass actions, but it had faded quickly as Puck all but dumped Santana onto the floor as if her touch burned him.

Santana on the other hand, was not giving up her former hookup partner so easily. Puck had assured Kurt that his previous arrangement with the deranged Cheerio was sex-only, no feelings, no declarations of love, no attachments. But Kurt was beginning to wonder if Santana had signed the same contract. Rumors began to reach his ears that she was methodically interrogating every single Cheerio on the varsity trying to figure out just who Puckerman was spending his time with. Kurt feared that once Santana had worked her way through the JV squad that she might actually start to get closer to the actual truth. But Puck's bad boy image did serve as a pretty effectual smokescreen for the fact that he spent many an afternoon or weekend at the Hummel house.

At first it had been awkward but the more time they spent together the easier 'being together' became. Puck had introduced Kurt to the obsession of video games, although Puck liked battle games while Kurt leaned more toward the singing games or Dance Dance revolution. Many evenings Puck simply showed up around dinner time, so much so that Burt had even begun setting a third place at the table without asking. Their time together was the best moments of his day by far, it made the school hours bareable and Kurt was finally beginning to feel the way other teenagers did in the first relationship. Only his was tempered by pretending to only be friends during school hours.

78

PUCK

Puck had been concerned about showing up at Kurt's house so often, but the temptation of Kurt's cooking and the homey atmosphere was almost impossible to resist. He now knew why his sister spent so many evenings at her girlfriends' houses, she probably was after the same feeling he was. He'd worried also about Mr. Hummel, but a few nights ago he'd finally had a chance to talk to the older man, and what had transpired in that conversation had set Puck's mind at ease.

Kurt had been distracted by a phone call from Mercedes, and Puck had snuck into the living room where Burt was watching the game. He'd sat on the couch, waited for a commercial and then tentatively bridged the subject.

"Mr. Hummel?"

"Yeah Noah?"

"I just wanted to ask …if you minded?"

"If I minded what?"

"About my being here all the time? I totally understand if you do…and I'll knock it off if its bugging you. But I wanted to ask because it's your house, you know, and you're Kurt's dad…so…." Puck had blurted everything out at once, in a jumble of sentences. He didn't want to look over at Mr. Hummel, afraid of seeing rejection. Afraid the older man would admit that he didn't want him in his house or around his son.

Burt had been quiet for a moment.

"You know at first I was skeptical. Kurt has told me about how you used to be. But something tells me that it's all different now. Am I right?" Burt rubbed his chin in thought.

Puck laced and unlaced his fingers. "You're right. Things are very different now."

Burt nodded.

Neither man spoke for a few moments. Puck could still hear the faint sound of Kurt in the kitchen chattering to Mercedes about something. He risked a glance at Burt, and found the older man watching him with an amused expression.

"You like him don't you?" Burt asked quietly.

Puck was anxious, but he'd come to think quite highly of Kurt's dad and didn't want to ruin it by lying.

"Yes. I do."

"Good, because he's pretty crazy about you." Burt murmured, turning his gaze back to the television.

"Noah?"

"Yes."

"As long as Kurt's happy, you're welcome in my home." Burt said, his tone solid and sure.

Puck had exhaled then, feeling a huge wave of relief. He knew just how important Kurt's relationship with his father was to him, and knowing now that his presence wasn't affecting it was a weight off his shoulders.

898989

But now that one hurdle was jumped, there was another one to conquer. Santana Lopez was quickly becoming a big problem. Puck knew that the Latina had an issue about anyone she considered 'her property', but Puck had never understood just how deep that issue ran. She had been the one to suggest their 'no strings' arrangement last year, and whenever they'd been together, she reminded him several times of that fact. She'd never wanted feelings involved, just the warm body in her bed, and someone to do her bidding when she called.

But after he'd brushed her off, apparently her possessive streak had morphed into full out psychosis. She'd repeatedly tried coming onto him over recent days and every time he found an excuse to put her off, she'd responded with venom. She demanded to know just whose tail he was getting that was better than her. Puck had been tempted many times to blurt out the truth of his situation, just to get her off his back. Her fury and tenacity even put Rachel Berry's tantrums over solos to shame.

That afternoon, she'd all but jumped into his lap, lewdly straddling him and nearly stealing a kiss as she'd lunged at him. He'd barely had time to react when he'd seen a flash of Kurt's face over the cheerios' shoulder. It was only a split second but Kurt's slightly hurt, jealous expression said it all. He'd instantly done the only thing he could think of, he'd stood up so fast that Santana nearly fell off his lap to the floor. The flurry of obscenities that ensued would have made a bar full of bikers blush.

But her feelings were not what he was concerned with, as he knew that Santana's rage wasn't about hurt or jealousy necessarily. Her fury was more based in a possessive frame of mind. The catty cheerio had an issue with anyone 'taking' what she believed to be hers, whether she cared about it or not. Much like a selfish child would break unused toys rather than let someone else play with them.

Noah did care about that hurt look on Kurt's face, quite a bit. The more time he spent with the pale brunette the more he noticed just how much Kurt hid beneath his snotty ice queen exterior. The slender boy was brimming with emotion, Puck felt it in every kiss they shared, in every touch. It was in the way Kurt clung so tightly to him during each embrace, and the way his vibrant eyes flashed whenever Santana attacked him. He knew that seeing the hot Latina all over him hurt the other boy, and he'd be damned if he let her ruin the best thing he currently had going for him.

He caught up to Kurt out in the parking lot after Glee practice let out. The smaller boy had all but run from the choir room after Santana's tantrum. It was cold and as usual the overcast sky was dark and threatening. Knowing how Kurt would feel about his outfit getting rained on, Puck unlocked his truck.

"Get in."

Kurt glanced at him warily. "Noah, it's okay."

"Just get in, please."

"Why?"

Puck reached out then to trail a gentle touch along the arm of Kurt's blue wool coat."Because this is nice, and I know you don't want it wet." He rolled his eyes skyward at the ominous weather. Kurt followed his gaze, then nodded with a sigh.

"Okay, just for a minute though."

Puck said nothing, merely yanked the passenger door open so Kurt could scramble up inside. He shut it and ran around to jump into the drivers seat. Once inside he locked the doors and turned to stare at where Kurt sat, his posture rigid and anxious. Puck tried to soak up every little detail about the other boy, letting his eyes roam over the tight jeans, the bright blue coat, the way Kurt's slender arms were wrapped around his middle. He could tell there was something going on, and he sensed it wasn't just about Santana and her crass behavior. His gaze moved up to Kurt's face, where the pale brunette stared out the window as the rain began to fall. Something inside Puck shifted and he suddenly wanted the slender boy in his arms. He wanted to sooth whatever worry was causing the small crease in his pale forehead. He didn't want to make Kurt more uncomfortable though, so instead he started talking.

"Kurt…I'm sorry about Santana."

Kurt didn't look at him, merely stared as the rain came down harder, pelting against the windshield. But he did answer. "Why are you apologizing? She was the one jumping you." Kurt's voice was shaky.

Puck stared hard at Kurt, practically willing him to look. "Because I saw that her little skank stunt hurt you, and I'm sorry for that."

"Yeah well….you didn't do anything…." Kurt looked as if he wanted to say something else but stopped. "…I was just…..no nevermind, it's not important." Kurt's voice broke on the last word and Puck let out a low growl.

"Don't say that, how you feel is important to me."

Kurt's breath hitched and Puck could feel that whatever the slender boy was holding in was a lot bigger than just jealousy over Santana and her crap attitude. He waited a few moments, not pushing. Finally Kurt spoke again.

"I…I just get scared Noah." Kurt's voice was soft and small as he lifted a pale hand to trace the path of one heavy raindrop down the window glass.

"What are you scared of Kurt?" Puck's body was practically burning now, if Kurt didn't touch him soon he was afraid he might combust.

"Of this…of us….God Noah…." Kurt swiped at his eyes, trying to hide his tears. "It was easier when it wasn't so real! I never knew what I was missing before…so it was easier to pretend that I was all right without it. I always wanted to know what it felt like to be in love, ….but it's terrifying! I've never had this much to lose before."

Puck froze. Kurt had mentioned the word**_ love_**._ Did that mean? Could he be that fortunate? _Puck's heart slowed, each beat sounding in his ears heavily. He had to know.

"Kurt." Puck whispered the other boys name, the lump in his throat making it hard to say.

"Yes?" Kurt had dropped his face into his hands, Puck wasn't sure if he was crying or embarrassed by the bomb he'd just dropped.

"Look at me Kurt, please." Noah begged.

Kurt finally lifted his face and met Noah's gaze. The vibrant blue shone like crystal through the unshed tears.

"What you just said?" Puck swallowed hard. "You said 'love'….did you…do you mean it?."Puck couldn't finish the question, the lump in his throat threatened to choke him.

Puck felt as if his entire existence was wrapped up in this moment, in waiting for Kurt's 'd never felt so defenseless, so fucking weak and vulnerable. In that moment, there was no trace of his alter ego…the bullying smartass was gone, all that was left was his heart, and it was in Kurt's hands.

After what seemed like an eternity, Puck watched as Kurt slowly nodded. But just as he was about to let out the breath he'd been holding, Kurt began to ramble breathlessly.

"I'm sorry! I never meant to…but I….I mean I TRIED not to Noah….I knew it was….but I never expected you to be the one….oh god…I'm sorry." Kurt's tears now spilled down his cheeks.

Puck's fragile hold on his control snapped. He reached out for Kurt, grabbing the other boy's shoulders, forcing those blue eyes to look at him.

"Kurt don't say you're sorry…_.please!_ Don't you _dare_…." He ground out, barely able to focus through the wave of emotion that threatened to drown him.

Kurt's eyes widened and Puck knew that he would never find a shade of blue more beautiful to him than those eyes. He searched for any sign of regret in those irises, his heart pounding frantically. He breathed a sigh of relief as he found none.

"Come here." Puck's voice cracked as he pulled Kurt toward him. The other boy came willingly and Puck was thankful for the roomy cab of his truck as he pulled Kurt into his lap. Kurt grabbed onto him, hiding his face against his neck. Puck could feel the wet heat of Kurt's tears against his skin and he could feel Kurt trembling in his arms. Puck gently rubbed Kurt's back as he tried to soothe the other boy, despite the fact that his own head was full of fireworks.

"You don't have to be scared. I don't want you ever to feel afraid of me again." He crooned softly, trying to keep his head as emotion and desire crashed over him in violent waves.

"Noah..I.." Kurt's breath was hot against his neck, lighting his nerves up like a brush fire.

"Shhh." Puck felt his own tears brimming as he pulled the other boy back a little to look into his face. Kurt's wary gaze held his. Puck knew it was his turn to confess.

"It's mutual Kurt. I never thought it either…but I'm sure of it now." Puck spoke softly, moving his hands up to splay over the pale skin of Kurt's neck, his fingers just grazing the other boys jaw. The rain hammered down on the roof of the truck, the thick sound enclosing them. Kurt's glassy eyes widened as the realization of what Puck was telling him sunk in.

"Yes. I'm saying it to you Kurt. You're not alone in your fall. God, I've fallen so hard in love with you it hurts." Puck choked out, moving one hand up to tangle in the silky dark hair at the nape of Kurt's neck.

"Noah." Kurt moaned his name, and Puck closed his eyes as Kurt's soft touch came up to hold his cheeks, pulling their faces together. Kurt's mouth touched his and the inferno that blazed within him suddenly felt as if gasoline had been thrown on it. Instinct roared in his ears, calling, demanding that he claim what was his. He tasted butterscotch and groaned into the other boys' mouth. Puck's hands worked between them on the buttons of Kurt's coat. As soon as he yanked it off the slender boys shoulders, he wrapped his arms around Kurt, holding him tight against his chest as their lips danced.

All the nights of feeling so lost and alone, every night that he'd cried after his mom had accused him of being a mistake, every hurt, the whole drama with Quinn, and the deep dark fear that he'd never find someone to love him….all of it seemed to die away. Kurt's hands moved down to divest him of his letterman jacket, Puck obliged, tossing the thick coat onto the floor, then returning his arms to slide back around Kurt's waist. Kurt's mouth tentatively opened beneath his and Puck knew he was lost, his poor heart would be a slave to Kurt Hummel as long as he lived.

GLEE

GLEE

KURT

Kurt couldn't believe what he'd just said. He'd freaking _told_ Noah Puckerman that he loved him. He'd just come out and said it! He was paralyzed with the fear that Puck would start laughing at him, or that he would wake up from the wonderful dream that he'd been living in for the last month. But no, this was real…and he had just admitted to Noah that _he loved_ him. Kurt waited for the pain, the rejection, he waited to break.

But instead he felt Noah's strong hands touch him, holding his shoulders, forcing him look at the other boys face. Noah's handsome features were twisted with emotion, his dark eyes filling. Kurt's heart fluttered madly, daring to hope.

But then Noah had done the unthinkable. He'd pulled Kurt into his lap and held him tightly. The simple motion spoke volumes, Puck hadn't pushed him away, Puck hadn't laughed at him, he hadn't even been scared of the weight of what Kurt had said. Noah simply held him tightly, comforting him as Kurt let his tears fall in relief. Just knowing that Noah wasn't going to run from him after his confession was enough, he didn't expect more.

But then Noah had split his world apart again. The handsome teen looked into his eyes and said words that Kurt thought he would never hear.

"I've fallen so hard in love with you it hurts."

Kurt felt as if his heart was going to burst, it swelled so. He felt Noah's hand slide into his hair and he moaned the other boys name. He was gone, so far gone that he let go of the tight hold he had on his desires, leaning in to kiss Noah. All his fear had fled from him at the other boys tearful confession.

The kiss was soft and shy at first, but quickly began to burn hotter. He let Noah all but rip his jacket off him, no longer caring if anyone saw them. Joy bubbled through him, mixing with the love and desire that he felt spiking through his veins. He couldn't get close enough to Puck, and yanked the red and white letterman jacket off him, humming with pleasure as he could feel the hard wall of Puck's chest through the worn t-shirt. He loved the strong arms that wrapped around him, holding him so tightly. He'd never thought he could feel so strongly, never imagined a desire that burned so hot. It consumed him, and in that moment, in the cab of Noah's truck, with the rain pounding down, Kurt realized that he finally felt normal, whole, and loved.

GLEE

GLEE

Dave Karofsky pulled into the parking lot of Mckinley that afternoon, muttering curses about the gym bag he'd forgotten. Normally he'd have just left it for Monday, but Coach Bieste had been on the rampage about the guys doing their laundry. She was tired of the reek in the locker room and had threatened to bench anyone who didn't take their bags home to wash each weekend.

So he'd driven back to school an hour after getting home, hoping the halls would still be open. He parked by the gym door, darting through the rain into the locker room. Once he'd retrieved his bag he'd run back out and jumped in his car. He was just about to pull out when he noticed Puckerman's truck was the only car still in the lot. He wondered if Puck had gotten a flat, but as he peered through the driving rain he didn't see anything wrong.

It didn't register for a moment, but as Karofsky stared, he saw that Puck was in his truck, with someone. Dave chuckled as he made out that Puck had some girl draped over his lap, and the two were making out. Puck always had seemed to have the best luck with the girls. But then the rain lightened just a little and as Dave started his car, he gaped with horror. Puckerman wasn't making out with some girl…he was in fact kissing Kurt Hummel, the school fairy.

Dave couldn't believe it. Fury raged inside him. He would never admit to anyone, but he had been struggling with changing feelings inside over the past year. He couldn't handle the fact that he'd been attracted to some of his teammates, and in his anger and confusion he had made it his mission to torture Kurt. It was mostly out of jealousy. Kurt seemed to have no problem with his sexuality, flaunting it in his clothes and attitude. Dave couldn't handle seeing that, not when the same feelings caused him such disgust and self loathing. But now, seeing that Kurt had apparently not only found peace with himself, but also seemed to be finding happiness with a boyfriend, …Dave's rage reached a fever pitch.

He gunned his car into drive and peeled out of the parking lot. He whipped out his cell phone and began to dial some of the meaner guys on the team, the ones who got off on the bullying. Someone was going to hurt for this.


	18. Weekend

Burt Hummel was beginning to worry about his son. He checked his watch as the football game went to commercial. If anything his son was punctual, Kurt had an obsession for being on time for everything. So when he didn't show up after school the way he normally would Burt began to get nervous. He knew what kind of bullying his only child dealt with at that high school, and he would never admit it to Kurt, but he constantly worried about his safety.

Finally, just as Burt was about to call his son, he heard the sound of the Navigator pull into the driveway. He huffed out a relieved sigh and waited as Kurt let himself in and wandered into the living room. The first thing he noticed was that Kurt's jacket was buttoned wrong, and his hair was much more ruffled and messy than he'd ever seen him wear it. Burt would have been alarmed at Kurt's appearance, had it not been for the dreamy smile on his face. His son folded himself onto the couch beside him and grinned.

"You're late kid."

"Sorry dad….I would have called …but…" Kurt mumbled, his eyes taking on a far off look.

Burt stifled a chuckle. "Glee club run late?"

Kurt shook his head.

"Out with Noah then?" Burt flipped channels.

Kurt didn't answer for a moment, but Burt saw the deep blush that stained his son's cheeks at the mention of the other boys' name. He fought the urge to laugh. He'd missed out on some father-son moments due to Kurt's sexuality and their small town. But he was glad to see that his son had finally found someone that made him so giddy.

Kurt leaned his head back against the cushions with a dreamy sigh, closing his eyes. "….he loves me…" Kurt murmured.

Burt suddenly muted the television. "What was that?"

Kurt opened his eyes and smiled at his dad, looking a little embarrassed but too blissed out mostly. "He told me he loved me."

But turned to look at his only child. Kurt wore a happy contented smile, and his eyes twinkled. He hadn't seen the kid that happy in a really long time and part of him was elated that his son had found someone that brought him that joy. But on the other hand, another part of him teemed with worry. Up until recently Kurt had been convinced that the other boy was a completely straight jock…and now….

"I'm happy for you Kurt…but I just …." He started, trying to find the right words.

"What's wrong dad?"

"I just want you to be careful. That kid hasn't been 'out' like you've been very long. He's not gonna have the same comfort level that you might about public things. I hope that he's brave enough and strong enough that he won't disappoint you." Burt chose his words carefully. He hated to rain on the parade of Kurt's emotion, but he also didn't want to have to clean up the pieces of a broken heart later on.

Kurt chewed his lip a little as he processed his father's words. "I appreciate your concern dad, and I've thought about that myself."

"And?"

"I love him. I know it's insane, and I know that it might not end well…but I can't help it. What I feel when I'm with him… it's perfect." Kurt's grin returned.

_Burt leaned back in the recliner, hoping he'd said enough. "I'm glad son, I just hope he proves himself worthy of someone as special as you."_

_Glee_

_glee_

_glee_

_glee_

PUCK

Normally the weekends had seemed to fly by. Saturdays had been a haven, time to sleep in, no school to worry about, his mom was usually working, and Sarah either escaped to friends homes for the 2 days or just sacked out with the television all day. But from the moment he awoke on Saturday morning, the time seemed to crawl.

All he could think about was Kurt, and the moment they'd shared in his truck the afternoon before. He could still feel Kurt's skin under his hands, hear the whispered moans, and if he closed his eyes he could practically see Kurt's blue eyes. It was enough to get his pulse racing all over again. Puck was almost ashamed of himself, he'd never been this hung up on anyone before. He vowed that he would take it easy this weekend, not call Kurt, not push anything. Their conversation yesterday had been so intense, and it had shaken Puck down to his core. He wanted to see Kurt desperately, but he feared that if he didn't get some time to process first, his instincts would simply take over.

He focused on what needed to get done for once, trying to keep his mind busy. He did his laundry, ran the dishwasher, even cleaned up his room a notch. That worked for a few hours, but when his nervous energy forced him into the kitchen to clean, his mind wandered.

He tossed his mothers empty wine bottles into the recycling, grimacing at the smell. Cheap wine was a smell he hated, and his mother's breath always smelled of it. After his father had left, his mother had sunk into depression for a time, crawling in and out of bottles for a few years until she got a handle on it. Nowadays she didn't drink a lot so much as often. He knew she did it late at night when Sarah was in bed, usually after a long day at work. Puck understood the need she had to unwind, and he knew that his mom was tired. But that smell….it just reeked of despair to him, and he hated it.

Once the counters were clean, Puck turned his attention to the neglected stove. With a sigh he began scrubbing the dust off of it, thinking in the back of his mind about how the stove at the Hummel house probably never had dust on it. His stomach growled at the memory of the dinnertimes he'd spent with Kurt and his dad, the delicious smells and tastes that filled their home. Puck's stomach growled at the memory.

"What are you doing Noah?" Sarah's voice interrupted his thoughts.

He looked up to see his sister leaning against the doorframe, she was dressed to go out and had a knapsack over one shoulder.

"What's it look like?" Puck smiled as he finished wiping down the appliance.

"Like you're cleaning…but my brother _doesn't clean_ anything." Sarah laughed.

Puck rolled his eyes. "So sue me, this place was getting pretty sad."

Sarah nodded, her smile fading a bit. "Yeah, mom's been letting it go."

Neither sibling said anything for a moment.

"So who's the new girl?" Sarah cut right to the quick of things.

Puck tensed. "What makes you think there is one?"

"The fact that you've been disappearing as much as I do lately. You usually do that when there's a new girl." She narrowed her eyes at him, daring him to lie.

"There is someone new Sarah."

She cocked her head to one side, her dark hair falling over one shoulder. Puck was suddenly struck by the fact that his baby sister was nearly a teenager, and he would have to start threatening potential boyfriends in a year or two. He softened under her scrutiny. Sarah had always been his weak spot in the 'Puck' armor. He'd grown up taking care of her and she knew just had to read him.

"It's a guy, isn't it?" Sarah's eyes caught his and Puck froze. _How in the hell? Had sh_e…..

"You talk in your sleep Noah." Sarah's tone was amused, her mouth pulling up into a smirk, much like the one he wore often. Puck stared at her in shock as she continued, moving toward him slowly.

"Relax big brother, it's okay." She laid a small hand on his arm. "I knew you had to be overcompensating for something with all those bimbos."

"Sarah!" Puck gaped at her. Since when did his little sister get so damned telepathic?

She laughed then, the sound like bells. The sound relaxed him a little despite their serious conversation. He looked down into her face, smiling. "How long have you known?"

"I wondered before, like I said. But the last couple weeks you've been rambling about someone named Kurt, I put the pieces together." Sarah moved around to hug him tightly, and Puck sighed, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"I won't tell if you don't want me to." She murmured.

"Thanks sis."

"One condition?" Sarah pulled away then. "I want to meet him."

Noah laughed quietly. Kurt and Sarah in the same room? That sounded dangerous. He had a feeling that the two would get along quite well, a little too well actually.

"Soon sis, I'll let you meet him soon." Noah promised.

Sarah had departed for a friends' house shortly after that, leaving Puck in the shocked remnants of their conversation. He'd practically just come out to his baby sister. And instead of the terror he'd expected to feel, there was only contentment and relief. Sarah had already known! And she didn't care.

Puck finished cleaning the kitchen and stopped for a moment, fingering his cell phone. He itched to call Kurt, tell him about what had just happened. Hell, he was even tempted to call and hang up just to hear Kurt's voice. He resisted the urge, shoving the phone back into his jeans pocket.

Puck prowled around the house for the better part of the day, even tackling his homework for a change. But as the day wore on, Puck grew more and more cranky. He ached to see Kurt, and despite his best efforts…it consumed his thoughts. Finally he threw on his jacket and stalked out of the house, climbing in his truck. He intended simply to drive, clear his head, get his mind somewhere else.

But the best laid plans…as Puck gunned the engine he caught sight of something on the floor of the cab, something soft and black. He reached down to grab it, the scent hitting him like a truck. Kurt…..it was one of his scarves. It must have fallen from the bag the day before. He rubbed the softness between his fingers and sighed. Memories slammed into him with such force it stole his breath: Kurt on his lap, wrapped in his arms, kissing him so sweetly. Puck closed his eyes and held the scarf to his face, inhaling the spicy sweet scent that was purely Kurt. His soul purred, while another part of him growled in frustration.

Moments later he parked in front of Kurt's house, debating. He sighed and rested his forehead on the steering wheel. How had one boy turned him into such a ridiculous mess? Feeling coursed through him, wanting, demanding. He glanced back at the house, not seeing Burt Hummel's pickup, only Kurt's car in the driveway. _Just a few minutes couldn't hurt right?_ Puck took a deep breath, collected himself and jumped out of his truck.

glee

glee

KURT

"Just wanted to give this back."

Kurt stared in shock. He'd answered the doorbell without a second thought, not expecting in the least to find Noah on his doorstep, holding his scarf.

"Noah." Kurt managed to find his voice long enough for one word. But it encompassed a whole paragraph that was running through his head. He couldn't help the grin that spread over his features.

"Can I come in?"

"Oh, yeah, sure." Kurt realized that he was still standing there holding the door, frozen in place. He'd barely noticed the cold air outside. He quickly moved to one side and grinned at the floor happily as Noah walked inside.

Kurt gently eased the door closed, and it was then that he realized he was not dressed for company, let alone Puck. His eyes swept down over his flannel pajama pants and oversized hooded sweatshirt. He was glad that he'd at least done his hair nicer than the usual Saturday mess. Weekends were a time when Kurt took a lot less care with his appearance, unless he was going out. Saturdays he usually tended to stick around the house, doing laundry, finishing homework, and gorging on reality TV.

Kurt tried to collect himself then, trying not to fret about his attire. He was just about ready to turn around and face Puck when he felt those strong arms snake around his waist. Kurt hummed with pleasure and melted back against the strong wall of Pucks' chest. He closed his eyes as he felt Pucks' hot breath against the back of his neck, and he was suddenly grateful that his dad had decided to take one his buddies up on the offer to watch the big game at a local sports restaurant. He wouldn't be back for hours, Kurt shivered at the possibilities that offered.

"You drove all the way over here just to bring that back?" Kurt murmured, leaning his head back against Pucks chest, his hands skimming over the arms around his middle.

"Well….maybe _not just_ for that." Pucks' breathy whisper was hot against his ear and Kurt couldn't hold back the trembling that started up. Noah had this crazy way of being able to reduce him to a quivering mess.

"Then why…."

Puck's mouth was on his neck then, so hot Kurt wouldn't have been surprised if steam had arisen from the touch. He gasped, sucking in air at the electric way his nerves lit up. His eyes fluttered open and he fought the moan that coiled in his chest. Sweet heaven Puck was good at this….

"I missed you Kurt. Is that so hard to believe?" Puck murmured, leaving a trail of soft kisses down Kurt's neck, each one slow and sure. "I tried to play it cool….but you make me too _damn hot_ for that."

Kurt let out a small squeak, the sound somewhere between a whimper and moan. Puck laughed softly against Kurt's neck, turning him in his arms then. Kurt went willingly, but was afraid to open his eyes. The whole moment felt like something out of a dream and he was petrified of waking up and finding it over. He felt the hot puffs of Noah's breath against his cheeks and bit his lip.

"I'm glad you came. I wanted to see you." Kurt said softly.

"Good." Puck playfully kissed the tip of his nose. "Open your eyes Kurt."

Kurt shook his head, smiling wider now.

"Why?"

"I'm afraid I'm going to wake up."

Puck laughed, tightening his hold on him. Kurt allowed his arms to wind around the other boy, looping his fingers into the belt loops of Noah's jeans. A year ago Puck would have pounded him for even breathing the same air, but now he felt so comfortable in his arms it was insane.

"You're not dreaming Kurt."

Kurt shivered, loving the way Puck kept whispering his name at the end of every sentence, but he didn't open his eyes.

"Do I need to prove it to you?" Puck's tone was a mix of mischief and need and it made Kurt feel like he'd just stepped into an inferno. His entire being rippled with anticipation but he kept his eyes shut, enjoying the sensation of relying on his other senses.

Puck didn't move for a moment, but Kurt could feel the pounding of the other boys' heart, as their chests were so tightly pressed together. The cinnamon spice scent of Pucks' breath made his head spin.

He felt Pucks' arms around him tighten and Kurt threw his arms around Puck's neck as the bigger boy spun them so Kurt was suddenly pinned between the wall and Pucks' chest.

He fought to keep his eyes closed, not wanting to give in so easily. But it was a battle as Noah's hot mouth captured his in a searing kiss, one that Kurt felt down to his bones. This time he felt the smooth velvet of Noah's tongue against his bottom lip, like a lick of flame, inviting, teasing. Kurt moaned deep in his chest, unable to control his reaction, and in doing so opened his mouth underneath Noah's kiss. The other boy took this as an invitation and the kiss became something more, something hotter and more primal. Kurt felt as if his knees were about to give out and was thankful for Noah's strong arms holding him upright.

Noah's hands were everywhere, but suddenly they came to a stop at his hips, gripping him so tightly, Kurt knew he was going to have bruises later on. But he was beyond caring as he tasted the sweet spicy taste that dripped from Puck's lips. Passion made him bold and he wanted to get closer, despite the fact that barely a breath separated them. He moved his hands between them to yank Noah's jacket off him, dropping it and the forgotten scarf to the floor. He broke the kiss for a moment, pushing Puck back just an inch. He opened his eyes then, no longer caring who won the challenge. Puck's expression could only be described as _overcome_. The bigger boy's tanned cheeks were flushed and his full lips tinted a darker pink from their kiss. Kurt felt a groan ripple up out of him and let his instinct take over as he grabbed onto Noah's shoulders and jumped up, locking his legs around Puck's waist. Now Kurt could look down into his face and he leaned in close, teasing his lips across Pucks, relishing the way Puck's forehead wrinkled up in frustration.

His back hit the wall again as Puck staggered a step forward. Kurt feathered another soft kiss over Pucks mouth as he felt the other boys hands come up to grip the back of his thighs, using that and the wall to hold him up securely. Kurt turned his attention to the muscled cords of Pucks' neck, shushing the small voice in his head that was warning that this was happening too fast. At the first buttery taste of the other boys hot skin, his desire drowned that voice out almost completely.

"God Kurt…what the hell have you done to me?" Puck rasped, his fingers digging in harder. He reached a hand up to tangle into Kurt's hair, tugging his face away from his neck.

Kurt met Puck's lidded stare, flushing as he could see the passion and lust that flamed in Puck's dark irises. There was something else there as well, shock and a touch of fear. Suddenly Kurt slowed down, the voice in his head gaining volume again.

But before Kurt could say anything, Puck threw his head back and growled low in his throat before beginning to ramble. "I never_ knew_….Kurt..." Puck's hand in his hair moved down cup the back of his neck, bringing their faces close again. But Puck didn't kiss him, instead just touched their foreheads and closed his eyes.

"You make me crazy Kurt, I've never wanted anyone this bad before. But….I…"

"I know...it's too fast." Kurt whispered, hearing the panting of his own breath.

Puck smiled slowly, and Kurt could feel him calming. He leaned in further, finding Pucks lips once again. But this time the kiss was slower, gentler. The desire that had sparked so hotly before was still there, but now more controlled. They didn't have to rush this, Kurt thought. Despite the demanding need that Noah sparked in him, he liked this type of kiss just as much. Kurt jumped down from his position and wriggled out of Noah's hold.

"Where are you going?" Puck asked, turning as Kurt ducked out of his arms.

Kurt gave himself a moment to collect his breathing before looking coyly over his shoulder. "To find us something to do for the afternoon….."

"So I guess we settled that you're awake then?" Puck smiled, coming down from his own high.

"Oh ya, and then some." Kurt giggled, turning on his heel and heading for the kitchen, hiding the smile that stretched one side of his face to the other.

PUCK

Puck laughed hysterically.

Kurt swore loudly again, this time the string of expletives growing in length. His pale hands held the game controller in a death grip and he leaned forward, his face puckered into an adorable scowl.

The last two hours had been spent fostering Kurt's new addiction, racing games. Puck had driven out and rented a few games that he liked and they'd barely played one round before Kurt had been completely sucked in, demanding Puck teach him just how to careen around turns so he wouldn't crash.

Puck had to admit that he liked 'casual Kurt' just a fraction more than 'fancy Kurt'. Seeing the pale boy in rumpled pajamas just made him that much more real and comfortable. Not that he didn't rock his fashion choices out of the house (in particular the skinny jeans that made Puck's temperature run hot), but Puck liked the softness of these clothes…it made it all the harder to keep his hands off his grumbling boyfriend.

"Come on! That was just not fair! The game was _cheating_! Did you see that? It cheated!" Kurt squawked, dropping the control on the carpet. His face twisted into a pout and he crossed his arms.

Puck couldn't hold back the belly laugh that rumbled out of him. He moved to sit behind Kurt, pulling the other boy back to sit back against him. He picked up the fallen controller and placed Kurt's fingers over the buttons.

"First of all, relax Kurt." Puck chuckled, nuzzling Kurt's fragrant dark hair. He guided Kurt's soft fingers on the controller, leaning it this way and that, making the racecar smoothly navigate the turns as fast as possible until the car won the race. But by the time Puck helped him finish the race, his blood was already warming from Kurt's nearness. His mind tormented him with a replay of their frenzied make out session in the hallway. He willed himself not to lose control again, but the scent of Kurt so close threatened to break him.

"Where's your dad?" Puck murmured.

"Out with some friends, some of the guys from shop meet at this sports bar to watch the big games, he went with them." Kurt explained, reaching for the controller once more.

"So he won't be back…."

"Until late." Kurt mumbled.

"You shouldn't have told me that." Puck growled, taking the controller away.

"Hey!" Kurt protested, but Puck jumped on him, tackling him to the carpet in one lithe move. He leaned over Kurt, holding his weight up on his elbows, one hand moved to smooth Kurt's bangs off his forehead.

"Don't you know that I'm a parents worst nightmare?" Puck teased, dipping down to press his lips against Kurts'. He'd intended to play, but the moment he tasted Kurt's skin it was all over. The desire slammed back to the surface, insistent.

Kurt kissed him gently and Puck had to fight to regain the death grip that he had on his control. After a moment he pulled back to look into Kurt's eyes. That beautiful blue looked up at him innocently and that was when it struck him like lightning.

Kurt had told him before that he'd had virtually no experience with the physical side of a relationship. Puck had experience with girls, not boys, but that was still much more than Kurt had done. Puck suddenly found his desire much easier to keep in check. It hadn't changed in severity but another thought cooled him down. He didn't want to rush things so that Kurt's firsts would be a fumbling sweaty mess, he wanted to take the time to make sure that each thing they did together was special and meaningful. He remembered daydreaming about the perfection of a first love, and he loved Kurt. He wanted to give him the fantasy, not just the groping desperation that happened when two teenagers were aroused and clumsy.

Kurt's expression clouded. "What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

Puck dropped soft playful kisses over Kurt's cheeks. "No. Nothing's wrong."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, nothing is wrong. You are just a lot of _right,_ Kurt." Puck murmured, before kissing him again, now taking his time, trying to make every second perfect. Despite his care, he still came away gasping for breath. "I want everything to be perfect for you."

Kurt's lips pulled into a small smile. "It already is Noah."


	19. Storm

PUCK

Something was in the air Monday morning, Puck could feel it. He'd been almost excited for school, which was a new feeling for him. He'd been happy that he'd get to see Kurt, but as soon as he'd parked, the weight hit him. Something wasn't right. He couldn't put his finger on what it was. The sky was dark, another storm ready to hit, but that was normal for a Lima winter.

He waited for Kurt's car, relieved when it pulled up and parked a few spaces over. Kurt looked adorable as usual, his outfit pristine, but what really made Puck smile was the gray scarf wrapped around his slender neck. It was the one Puck had given him.

Puck wanted to run over and sweep the brunette up into his arms, but the heavy sense of foreboding made him think twice. Instead he walked over and just offered Kurt a gentle smile and walked him to class.

Puck had decided after getting home Saturday night, that he no longer cared who saw them together or what people thought. The gift of having someone who loved him was too great to muddy up by being secretive or self conscious. But despite the fact that he was comfortable with his decision, he was hesitant due to the strange vibe he kept getting as they walked through the hallway. More than once he caught some of his teammates from football eyeing him, and even more disturbing, the way they stared at Kurt. It wasn't so much as shock at seeing them together, most had grown used to him being stuck to Kurt's side lately, it was more of a pointed stare ….directed at Kurt. Puck bristled with tension.

As they arrived at Kurt's classroom, he leaned in close to Kurt, trapping him between himself and the wall. Kurt's eyes searched his, trying to read what was going on.

"Wait for me after class…" Puck murmured quietly.

"What? Why?" Kurt gripped the strap of his bag, his eyes darted around the hallway for a moment before coming back to lock with Pucks. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't know. But just wait for me okay?" Puck risked it and quickly laid a hand against Kurt's cheek, feeling that soft skin against his palm for just a moment as the hallway crowd thinned out. Kurt turned his face to nuzzle Puck's hand for a second before smiling.

"Okay, I will."

Puck watched as Kurt strutted into the classroom, then quickly headed down the hallway to his first period. As he jogged down the corridor he heard the sound of snickering and slowed as his path put him near a few members of the hockey team, big hulking guys with brains the size of walnuts. Both teens gave Puck a knowing look, the smiles on the faces mocking and sardonic.

"Running late Puckerman?" The bigger of the two boys sneered.

"Yeah." Puck moved past them quickly, surprised when they simply let him pass.

"Better get going…wouldn't want to miss anything…." The other boy muttered under his breath, but not too low for Puck to hear as he ducked into his classroom nearby.

The aura of foreboding continued to pulse in the hallways throughout the day, it didn't help when the storm finally hit around lunchtime. Gale force winds whipped the trees around outside as rain began coming down in sheets. The entire day felt dark and eerie and Puck wondered if maybe his instincts were just reacting to the weather. But every time he convinced himself that it was in his head, he would catch another malicious look from a jock walking by and it would start his paranoia up again. He wondered if maybe this was about Glee club and not really him at all. The activities of the Glee club attracted more than their share of bullying. Maybe this was just the latest wave?

None the less, Puck shadowed Kurt carefully throughout the day, keeping an eye out in case it was not about Glee, but about them. He'd known when he started having these feelings for Kurt that if and when they came out about their relationship, there would be teasing, mocking, and he even expected a few slushies or locker slams. It was small town, and like Burt Hummel had told him, many small minds resided here.

But as the day wore into afternoon, the alluded threat in the air began to chill him. One jock in particular eyed Kurt up and down as he walked by, a smirk on his lips. Puck had had enough by this point and made a bold move. Purposefully he met the other boys eye and slid his arm around Kurt's waist as they headed for Glee club, tugging the slender boy close to his side. Kurt's frame tensed up a little in shock, but he kept walking in step with Puck. The jock's smirk grew even wider to Puck's surprise, before the other boy shook his head and walked off.

"Noah?" His voice was soft. "You don't have to…."

"It's okay Kurt. I'm done hiding." He said quietly, letting go to open the classroom door for Kurt to walk through. Kurt's head was down, but Puck could still see the happy smile that smoothed over his features. It relaxed him enough to take a deep breath.

_gleekurtgleepuckgleekurt_

KURT

Kurt wasn't quite sure what was with Puck that day. He could feel the other boy's tension, could see it in the way Puck carried himself. A shadow of the former bully was there in the way his shoulders were hunched, and in the stern looks he caught him throwing at many of his football teammates. There was a certain aura floating through the Mckinley halls. Everyone seemed a little on edge due to the storm that hit at lunch time.

Despite the fact that he'd grown up in Lima, he still hated these damn storms. They put everyone in a bad mood, knocked power out frequently, and made his hair frizz. He was distracted through his classes by the tempest outside, and was thankful that today the history teacher decided to show a movie. Kurt had seen it before and stared out the window at the rain. At first his thoughts were drawn to the intimate moment that he'd shared with Puck on Saturday. He could still feel just how hot that whole encounter had been, feel his back pressed up against the wall as he'd writhed in Puck's arms. The feel of Puck's muscled arms taut as the bigger boy had held him up, their lips sliding against one another. It was enough to make him blush all over again. But just as he began to lose himself in the memory, lightning flashed outside, lighting up the room for a moment. A hum of awe buzzed over the room. A moment later thunder boomed over the building, rattling the glass of the windows. Kurt shivered a little, pulling his hands up into the cuffs of his sweater.

The storm reminded him of the night he'd found Puck in the rain. His heart clenched as he remembered that lost and lonely look, the desperate way Puck had grabbed him on the couch. So much pain….Kurt bit his lip, looking down at his desk. He hoped that their being together could heal both their wounds.

_gleepuckgleekurtglee_

Puck had shocked him to the core when he'd put his arm around him in the hallway. Many students were leaving for the day, but there were still quite a few around. Puck's face was unreadable, and his posture felt tense as he pulled Kurt tight against in his side. The move was possessive and undeniable. To anyone who saw, there was no other way of reading it other than for what it was, Puck hugging him like they were a couple.

He'd stammered something then, about not expecting Puck to make such a big change so quickly. His soul had squirmed happily when Puck had brushed off his concern and claimed that he was not going to hide any longer. Kurt grinned down at his shoes, unable to cover his pride.

Even Glee club that afternoon felt tense. Mr. Shue seemed to be in a foul mood, no doubt over the fact that the rumor of Miss Pillsbury running off to Vegas had turned out be true. The whole Glee club knew how Mr. Shue felt about her, and Kurt had to admit that he didn't quite understand how the redheaded counselor could just up and her marry her dentist boyfriend without so much as an engagement. It had taken something out of their teacher, and Kurt had been with everyone in hoping that Shue would be able to climb out of funk long enough to help them win sectionals.

They ran through their set list practice, and then got into a discussion about possible ballads and solos. Rachel Berry of course trilled the loudest as she launched into a thesis on why she was the only one who should get the chance to show off at the competition. Mike Chang took the opportunity to pull the guys aside for some extra dance help. Kurt had to chuckle at the fact that Puck seemed to really need the extra lesson, as he stumbled over his own sneakers a couple times. Mike was not as amused and pulled Puck aside to try and show him just how to move without falling.

Kurt reached into his pocket for his phone and cursed as he realized that it was still in his locker. His last class had been science. Mr. Anders was known for his hatred of technology and had threatened to suspend any student caught with a phone in his classroom. Kurt had taken to just stashing his iphone in his locker for that last period. He'd promised to call his dad about dinner plans, as Carole and Finn had mentioned possibly showing up. Kurt glanced around the room. Mr. Shue and Rachel were still arguing, and Mike had his hands full with Puck and also Finn who was even worse off. Kurt smiled a little before ducking out of the classroom and trotting down the hallway towards his locker, figuring he'd be gone and back before anyone even noticed.

Kurt jumped a little another boom of thunder sounded above the building. He reached his locker and quickly retrieved his phone. He was about to turn and jog back to the choir room when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and his skin prickled. He silently prayed that it was one of the janitors, and shut his locker slowly.

"Hey fairy….." a deep voice sneered behind him.

Kurt's skin went cold.

He turned slowly, keeping his eyes down. His body tensed as several pairs of dirty sneakers came into view. He silently wished for Noah, calling out in his mind. Hell he'd settle for Finn, Sam, even Mr. Shue right now.

"It's about time Hummel…..we've been waiting for you."

_glee_

_glee_

_glee_

PUCK

Puck cursed as he stepped on his shoelace and tumbled backward into Sam. The blond gave him a friendly shove back onto his feet and shrugged. Puck grimaced as he tried once more to master the routine that Mike had choreographed. Normal dancing he could do no problem, but this fancy stuff that Mike Chang dreamed up was another story entirely. The guy had rubber bones and agility that any Cheerio would kill for.

Finally Mike called a halt to the torture so that they could reconvene to practice the vocals one more time before rehearsal ended. Puck let out a relieved sigh and his eyes darted around the room, looking for Kurt. He hoped to find his lithe little love perched somewhere, possibly laughing at his pathetic dance attempt. But as he scanned the room, Kurt was nowhere to be found.

No one seemed to notice as they chatted and reclaimed their seats. Puck moved toward the chair where Kurt had been sitting before. He sat down in the empty seat beside it and ran his hand over the leather satchel that Kurt always carried. A chill bristled over him. Something wasn't right.

Mr. Shue called for attention and Puck looked up, staring hard at the doorway, practically willing Kurt to walk through it. Again, something in him was calling out an alarm. Without realizing it, Puck had gripped the strap of Kurt's bag so tightly that his knuckles were white, and he continued to watch the door, barely singing at all as the group ran through the number. He knew he was supposed to be helping the baritone section of the harmony, but he couldn't focus. By the end of the song, Puck was beginning to panic. Kurt still had not returned from wherever he'd gone.

_Something was not fucking right_.

Mr. Shue finally called dismissal, pleased with the run through. Puck slowly rose, still holding on the leather strap of Kurt's bag. His eyes trained on the door, he waited for a moment, still no Kurt. The knot in his stomach twisted and tightened. He quickly glanced around, his eyes falling on Mercedes. Perhaps she knew?

"Hey, Diva?" Puck hoped a fonder nickname for the girl with the power house voice might help him get the information he needed.

"What Puck?"

"Did Hummel tell you where he went?" Puck tried to keep the fear from his voice.

Mercedes looked up at him then, her eyes trailed over the satchel that hung from Puck's hand, then slowly let her gaze rise up to his face. She started to smile a little, but then saw his expression and thought the better of it.

"No, I saw him duck out just before we did the last run through."

"Oh, thanks." Puck mumbled, but he was anything but thankful. He knew that something was wrong, he could feel it in his bones. He silently prayed that he was overreacting, that Kurt had simply snuck off to primp in the restroom or something. But another minute passed, and another without Kurt's return.

"Come on Kurt." Puck whispered, more to himself than anything.

But as the Glee clubbers gathered their bags and Kurt still was missing, Puck began to panic inwardly. His paranoia from that morning slammed back into him with full force and the knot in his stomach twisted even tighter. He set Kurt's bag down and quickly walked out into the hallway, looking down the corridors. Nothing.

_Maybe he went to his locker?_ Puck thought, jogging down the direction that he hoped would lead him to Kurt. The hallways were only half lit at this time of evening, as the janitors were the only ones around besides the Glee club. It was eerie, that empty dim corridor and as Puck reached Kurt's locker his heart fell. There was no sign of Kurt anywhere.

Puck leaned his head down against the cool metal, feeling helpless and lost. Kurt wouldn't just leave without saying goodbye, and especially not without his bag. Puck tried to think, but his brain was spinning. A rumble of thunder rattled the metal of the lockers and Puck noticed something. Kurt's locker….._was unlocked_…the door open just a fraction. _What the hell_…..

He'd seen Kurt lock that door earlier, he _never_ left it unlocked, knowing what could happen to his things if it was. _He'd been here…recently…. Oh God_… Puck pulled away, glancing up and down the hallway. Nothing had changed, but Puck could suddenly feel the tension in the air. He didn't know if it was just his fear, or the storm outside, but the air suddenly felt thicker, heavier, like he couldn't breathe.

Puck broke into action then, jogging quickly to the nearest restrooms, and then upon finding them empty he circled back to the choir room. His footfalls echoed in the hallway and he prayed that he'd find Kurt back there with the rest of them. But as he skidded to a stop at the choir room door, the only faces he saw inside were those that he'd left moments earlier. No Kurt.

"Puck…are you okay?" Mr. Shue asked, noticing the freaked out look on Puck's face.

"I don't know." Puck mumbled, his brain spinning its gears.

Mercedes stepped up then, her expression concerned. "You didn't find him?"

"Find who?" Mr. Shue looked confused.

"Kurt." Puck choked on the other boys' name. He suddenly felt dizzy and nauseated, remembering the leering jock from earlier, the heaviness he'd felt in the halls.

Mr. Shue looked around and realized that Kurt was in fact gone. Before he could say anything more Finn walked up to their little huddle.

"Kurt's gone?"

Puck nodded, his eyes still staring at where Kurt's bag sat on the chair. "I can't find him."

"oh….oh god…" Finn's murmur of realization caused Puck's head to snap in his direction. He watched as his former friend's face went from confusion to realization….to fear. Puck's fists clenched at his sides.

"Finn? Do you know where Kurt went?" Mr. Shue spoke, and Puck was glad as his throat was too closed to form words.

The quarterbacks eyes went wide with fear as he started to stammer. "The guys…from the team….a couple of them….asked me about when Glee club ended...I didn't think…."

Puck was on him before he could finish, slamming the taller boy up against the nearest wall. Everyone else froze, staring as Puck gripped Finn's jacket front so tightly his knuckles cracked.

"You knew? Goddamn it Finn! You knew and you let him leave?" Puck growled, rage coiling through him like fire.

All the color drained from Finn's already pale face until he looked almost green. "I didn't realize….I didn't know…." Finn gasped, shocked by the force and suddenness of Puck's attack.

"Let him go Puck!" Mr. Shue commanded.

Puck obeyed, trying to reign in his fury. All his fears from the day were suddenly coming into focus. He tried to think of what the jocks might have planned, his mind spun through possibilities: the dumpster, janitors' closet, locker room.

"We have to find him, now." Puck mumbled. The other guys moved toward him suddenly, all wearing looks of concern now as well.

"We'll check the locker room, you guys check out any other places they might take him." Sam spoke up, jogging from the room with Mike. Tina and Rachel moved as well, heading for another destination.

Puck stood frozen, unable to believe what was happening. He must not have been the only one to sense the jock's plan today, as the others seemed to understand the urgency of the situation immediately. No one stopped to question his violent reaction to Kurt's disappearance, they just started looking. Puck felt like he was being torn up inside, like he'd swallowed a knife. The one person in his life who'd showed him love, and he'd failed to protect him.

"Puck…, are you all right?" Mr. Shue patted his shoulder.

"No."

"We'll find him, I'm sure he's fine." Mr. Shue attempted to reassure him, but Puck knew better.

"I'm going to keep looking." Puck tore himself away from Mr. Shue's touch and took off at a run down the hallway, back toward Kurt's locker. He could hear the yells of the rest of the Glee club as they searched. Kurt's name echoed up and down the hallways, ringing in Puck's ears. He stopped at Kurt's locker and silently called out in his mind.

_ Come on baby, where are you? Where'd they take you?_

Puck closed his eyes for a second. The yells of the others had faded out as they'd moved further away. All he could hear was the sound of the rain pounding down outside…._the rain…..oh dear God_….. Puck opened his eyes and looked down toward the door at the end of the hallway. His eyes fell onto something gray….on the ground near the door. Without realizing how he got there, he was suddenly at the door, dropping down to retrieve the soft gray scarf_, Kurt's scarf_. The one he'd been wearing, the one Puck had bought for him.

Puck's heart clenched painfully. He jammed the scarf into his pocket before pushing the door open. The sound of the wind howling and the rain splashing down filled his ears immediately as he peered out into the darkness. The light from the hallway didn't go far and Puck strained to see.

A sound reached his ears, somehow through the cacophony of the storm. Yelling…and then….a _scream_.


	20. Lightning Crashes

Puck's sneakers splashed out into the parking lot as he ran without thinking toward the sound, toward the dumpsters on the other side of the lot. The light above the dumpsters was flickering, and Puck could barely see as he ran toward it. Somewhere in the distance he heard the sound of tires screeching as cars peeled out. He didn't look to see, instead he slowed his run to a walk as he reached the dumpsters. The rain was still coming down and the dim flickering light did little to help him see.

He quickly jumped up to look into the dumpster, but saw nothing. The bin was empty. Puck's stomach lurched, he'd been sure this was where the sound had come from. He walked around to the side of the bin, just as he was about to leave lightning flashed across the lot.

Puck choked as the bright flash illuminated the darkness behind the dumpster …and the figure slumped on the ground.

_Kurt._

Puck dropped to his knees, not even noticing as the rain soaked right through his jeans. He crawled over to where Kurt lay, so still. He felt hot moisture on his cheeks, as his tears blended with the cold rain.

"Kurt?"

There was no response.

The overhead lamp flickered a little brighter for a moment, allowing Puck to see Kurt's pale face against the black asphalt, hair plastered against his forehead, his eyes closed. Puck felt as if he could feel his heart severing in his chest, all the roots that Kurt had set down in his soul…it felt as if they were being ripped out, taking chunks of himself along with them.

"Kurt? Please….._oh god_…" Puck's voice was raspy and strained as he reached out a shaky hand to touch Kurt's cheek.

Kurt's skin was cold and damp, but Puck could feel the soft movement of him breathing. He moved closer, gently pushing Kurt's wet bangs off his forehead. He was rewarded with a low moan.

"Kurt, _baby_…I'm here." Puck choked out, leaning over him.

Kurt made another noise, a whimper that tore at Noah's heart. His eyes were adjusting now to the semi-darkness and he could just make out Kurt's face. The brunette's forehead wrinkled up as his features contorted in pain.

"It hurts….no more…please…_it hurts_…" Kurt gasped, lifting his face off the pavement. Puck moved in so that Kurt's head could rest in his lap instead of on the ground. He knew his clothes were damp, but he hoped it was better than the hard concrete.

"It's okay, Kurt…it's gonna be okay. I've got you." Puck rasped, sliding his hand down over Kurt's shoulder. He tried to see, but the light was so faint.

"Noah?" Kurt's voice hitched on the word. Puck's chest constricted. Kurt struggled a little to lift himself, but as he leaned on his arm he let out a strangled cry and collapsed again. Puck caught him gently, wrapping him up in his arms. Kurt's face was a twisted mask of pain.

"It hurts!" He cried, his chest heaving as the sobs started. Puck noticed the way Kurt pulled his left arm tight against his abdomen and winced.

"I know baby. Come on, let me help you." Puck tried to stay calm, knowing that losing it right now was not going to help Kurt. He moved slowly, getting to his feet and reaching down for Kurt.

The slender boy allowed Puck to lift him up into his arms, turning his face into Puck's chest as his body shook with the gasping sobs that wracked him. Anger coiled inside of Puck, as he silently vowed to destroy Karofsky and anyone else who had anything to do with this._ Why in the hell would anyone do something like this? Why now? Why Kurt?_

Puck walked carefully, cradling the crying boy against his chest. He knew Kurt had to be hurting badly, he could tell from the tension in his frame and the way his sobs were broken and hitched as he cried.

"It _hurts_! Why does it hurt so much?" Kurt gasped.

"Your arm… try not to move it…" Puck tried to soothe, but the lump in his throat made it hard to talk.

Kurt began to ramble brokenly, between sobs. "There were too many of them…..Karfofsky went crazy….what did I do?"

"You didn't do anything baby, it's all right."

Kurt choked on his cries as he became more hysterical. "No! They'll just keep doing this….until they kill me…maybe it would be easier …maybe next time I'll let them…"

Every muscle in Pucks' body tensed. It took him a full second to control his reaction enough to keep moving. He knew that Kurt was most likely out of it from the pain, but _those words_… Puck could feel his heart breaking.

"Don't! Don't ever say that again!" Puck rasped, his throat burning. He stared down into the pained face of his love. "You _can't_ say things like that to me. I _need _you, Kurt…don't you know how much I fucking _need_ you?" Puck pressed a frantic kiss against Kurt's forehead, taking care not to put any pressure on his hurt arm. He couldn't stop the tears that rolled down his cheeks, but he was beyond caring.

Kurt said nothing more, merely sobbed into Puck's jacket.

Once they were inside, back in the light, his eyes raked hungrily over the boy in his arms. Kurt's clothing was dirty and torn in places, and he was soaked to the bone. His hair was a wet mess and his color was sickly. But worst of all was the strange tight way Kurt's hurt arm was pulled against his stomach and the gasping tears that contorted his features.

"I'm so sorry…oh _god baby_, …." Puck's voice broke as he started to walk again, heading for the choir room, for Mr. Shue, anyone that could help. He guessed that Kurt's arm was broken, and he knew just how much that had to hurt.

It felt like eternity before he reached the hallway that led to the choir room, he'd had to go slowly because the vibration of each step seemed to cause Kurt more pain. Puck tried to reign in his emotions, but he was fighting a losing battle.

"Help! Mr. Shuester!" Puck yelled as they neared the doorway.

The teacher came running, along with the rest of the Glee club, and suddenly Kurt was cringing against his chest, turning his face against Puck's jacket as the group surrounded them. Everyone was shouting, talking at once.

Puck couldn't make out any of the words coming from the voices around them. He was faintly aware of Mr. Shue calling for an ambulance, and he thought he heard what sounded like Finn blubbering an apology. Puck leaned back against the wall, letting Sam and Mike help him sit down in a chair, without shifting Kurt much. He was vaguely aware of the boys trying to get Kurt away from him so they could see to the extent his injuries. Kurt suddenly cried out as they tried to gently pull him from Puck's arms, the sound silenced everyone except their teacher who was giving directions to the operator. The pale boy's good hand grabbed a fistful of Puck's jacket, and Puck curled his arms back up around him.

Everyone stared at them, identical looks of shock and concern on their faces. Mercedes moved to his side, gingerly touching Kurt's wet hair. She'd already known, Puck could tell, as her reaction recovered the fastest.

Rachel moved in next, humming a soft lullaby under her breath. Puck knew he shouldn't have been surprised, that girl thought music was the answer to everything. But the sound of her melody was calming as she perched on the other chair near him.


	21. Aftermath

**AUTHORS NOTE: Thanks to everyone who continues to read this. I love getting the alerts in my email, but I love reviews/comments even more. This story is such fun to write. **

By the time the paramedics arrived moments later, the entire Glee club was surrounding where the two boys sat, Kurt still in Puck's lap, his face buried in the other boys shirt. Puck reluctantly handed him over to the paramedics, his heart clenching when Kurt fought against their hold for a moment, grabbing at Noah's hand with his good arm.

"No!" Kurt's cry and had been strangled and breathless.

Puck felt as if he was about to shatter as Kurt's hand was pulled from his. He let him go, knowing that Kurt needed the medical care, but his heart was in pieces as Kurt screamed when the uniformed paramedics tried to straighten his arm. Another EMT brought in a stretcher and Puck watched as they loaded him up on it, strapping him down.

"Noah? Please….let me…" Kurt whined as one of the medics tried to calm him.

Puck stood and walked toward the gurney, letting Kurt see that he was still there. He was afraid to touch him, even though his body ached to feel him near. Kurt's watery blue eyes found his.

"Don't go." Kurt begged quietly, but a paramedic interrupted.

"No, no riders in the ambulance."

"But I'm…"Puck started to argue as they prepared to wheel him out.

"No, sorry son those are the rules. You can meet us at the hospital."

Kurt closed his eyes then and sighed as he wept quietly, turning his face away. Puck knew that the pain he was in had to be incredible for him to be crying this much. Kurt normally tried to hide his tears when he was upset, cover them up with that ice queen bit, but he was so far beyond that right now.

Puck held his breath as he watched them go, he walked out into the hallway. When the doors closed behind them and ambulance drove away, Puck's strength gave out and he crumbled into a heap on the floor, his head on his knees. He let his own tears fall freely now, gasping for air that never seemed to quite fill his lungs.

He paid no attention to what the rest of them were doing. He wasn't aware that Mercedes had sat down beside him until she spoke.

"It's going to be all right Puck. You did good." Her voice was one of comfort.

"Bullshit. I failed him." Puck gasped.

"What do you mean?"

"I love him, and I fucking failed him! I should never have let him leave…I should have been there…" Puck rambled through his tears, keeping his face hidden.

He felt Mercedes grab his shoulder. "Stop it! We both know that if you'd known, you would have done something, but it's in the past now."

"He didn't deserve this. I should have been the one….it should have been me."

"What good would that have done Puck?" Mercedes voice was sharper then. "So they'd have beat you up, sent you to the hospital, then Kurt would have been defenseless anyway and you both would be hurt. Listen to me. You did what you could, you _found_ him. He's going to be okay."

Puck finally lifted his head from his knees. Mercedes surprised him right then, pulling him into an awkward hug. Puck went rigid for a moment, but then collapsed against her, letting his tears wet her jacket.

"He'll be all right. My boy Kurt is tough, a lot tougher than people think."

Puck sniffed and tried to reign his emotions back in. He'd never let his feelings control him like this, ever. It was freeing, but also pretty damn terrifying. Here he was, the school's former badass and he was a sobbing mess on the hallway floor.

"What do I do now? He…." Puck sucked in a deep breath, letting go of Mercedes then and swiping at his damn tears. Despite his best efforts, honesty still held him in a death grip. "Seeing him like that…what they did to him… He….. I never understood before…but.." Puck ground his fists against his eyes. "…He's like…my fucking heart…and they broke him….and it hurts!"

"I know. It will be okay Puck." Mercedes soothed.

Puck was vaguely aware that the last part of his sentence echoed the phrase Kurt had kept crying while he'd carried him in his arms. Suddenly his soul was aching to be at Kurt's side.

He wiped his face on the sleeve of his jacket, then scrambled to his feet, stopping to lend a hand to Mercedes.

"Hospital?" She asked, not needing an explanation.

He nodded.

"Come on, I'll drive you."

Puck nodded, walking over to grab his backpack. It was then that his eyes fell on Kurt's satchel, he snatched it quickly, slinging the soft leather strap over his shoulder. His knuckles went white with the force that he gripped that handle. He followed Mercedes down the corridor, and suddenly realized that this was the most time he'd ever really spent in her company, even when the two had pretended to date last year.

"Wait, Mercedes?"

She turned then to face him. "Yeah?"

"Why?" that one little word encompassed so much.

She stepped in closer to look directly into his face, not backing down, not laughing at the mess of emotion that he'd been, and still was.

"Because Kurt is one of my best friends," her brow furrowed then with concern. "…and I don't begrudge him love or happiness, no matter who he finds it with. Lord knows, with all that he's been through, he deserves it more than anyone."

Puck inhaled sharply. She'd cut right to the heart of everything.

"Come on, let's get going. Someone is going to need call Kurt's dad."

PuckKurtPuck KurtPuck

They were driving as Puck nervously dialed the number for Burt's cell phone. He was thankful that Kurt had called him from it once last week when his phone's battery had died. Otherwise he never would have known the number. Mercedes drove quickly as the line rang and rang. Finally Burt Hummel's voice answered, and Puck suddenly felt like his throat was closing.

"Hello? Who is this?"

Puck swallowed over the growing lump. "hey Mr. Hummel…it's Noah Puckerman."

He was aware of Mercedes slight reaction to the sound of him using his first name, but tuned it out.

"Noah? Hey kid…what's going on?"

The lump in his throat grew. How was he supposed to tell the man that his son had just gotten gay bashed?

"Something….something happened…." Puck choked on the words.

There was a pause on the other end, and then suddenly Burt was dead serious. "Talk to me son, are you all right? What happened?"

Puck gasped at the sound of the word 'son'. The sound of it brought him almost to tears once more. Damn it, he could remember a time when he'd ever cried this much! He fought against it as he tried to answer.

"Kurt…some guys…got to him….I'm so sorry! I should never have let him go alone…it's my fault. I'm sorry!" Puck blurted out, his words running together as his breath hitched.

"Wait, what? Where is he? Noah, where's my boy? Is he okay?" Burt's voice rose in volume. Suddenly Mercedes snatched the phone out of his hand. Puck didn't fight her as he felt like he could barely breathe.

"Hey, Mr. Hummel? It's Mercedes Jones, Kurt's friend."

Puck stared at the dark street, the rain was slowing and he knew that they were getting close to the hospital, he ran his fingers over the leather of Kurts' bag, clasping it tightly. It was then he remembered the scarf in his pocket. He pulled it out as he listened to Mercedes speak.

"I think he's going to be okay. Some jerks at our school jumped him today during Glee practice…ya…they must have got him when he went out of the room for a moment. He's hurt Mr. Hummel, Mr. Shuester called 911 and they're taking him down to Lima General."

Puck could hear Burt's voice through the speaker, muffled and indistinct, but obviously panicking.

"We're on our way there now. ….okay…who? Oh, ya, here he is."

Suddenly his phone was thrust back into his hand and he lifted it to his ear, drawing in a deep breath.

"Noah? Can you hear me kid?" Burt's voice was tight and concerned.

"Yes."

"I'm on my way, I'm a little ways off though. I was on a tow call out of town. But I'm coming. You tell Kurt that I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Yes sir."

"And Noah?"

"Yes."

"I want you to take care of him for me, until I can get there."

PUCK

The hospital was a shock. All the bright lights, and way too many people, it made Puck's head spin. He was vaguely aware of Mercedes half dragging, half pushing him through the corridors, interrogating nurses until she discovered just where Kurt had been taken. As soon as they reached the emergency unit, Mercedes pounced on the nurse at the main station. The woman took a moment to find the info, but once she did and spoke, Puck finally began to listen.

"Hummel? …" she clicked on her computer for a moment. "Oh…is he that boy that was brought in by ambulance from the high school?" She asked.

"Yes, that's him." Mercedes answered, Puck leaned on the counter, desperate for any information.

"Oh…he's in with the doctors now. Are you family?" The nurse looked over her glasses skeptically. Both teens shook their heads.

"Then you'll have to take a seat, no visitors allowed in emergency." She pointed to the waiting area where sofas lined a small alcove. Puck grimaced, jamming his hands in his pockets.

"But you don't understand…" He started, but the woman set her jaw, and Puck let his words falter. Causing a scene here wouldn't help Kurt, and he felt so mixed up inside he could barely form a complete sentence. He wandered over and flopped on the couch, training his eyes on the old linoleum floor.

"Puck….I'm sure Kurt will be fine." Mercedes started again, but Puck ignored her and she went quiet then, just sitting on the couch nearby. After a few moments of silence he saw her move to pull some homework out of her backpack.

Minutes ticked by and Puck grew increasingly more upset and uncomfortable. He suddenly had image of finding Karofsky and beating the ever loving shit of out of him. He saw himself tackling the stupid goon onto the pavement, that same black asphalt where he'd found Kurt broken and bruised. He envisioned slamming his fists into the jocks' face until he begged for mercy. _Had Kurt begged for them to stop? Had he cried for help? _

"I can't take this." Pucks' voice cracked and he jumped up…running away from Mercedes concerned voice, down an empty hallway. He had no idea where he was going, but he kept running, until he came to a stop at an exit. He put his hand on the door to go out, but as the door squeaked open lightning flashed, and it took him back to the sound of Kurt's cry when he'd tried to get up…..

A noise ripped through his chest, somewhere between a sob and a groan, as Puck backed away from the door as if the handle had burned him. His back hit a wall and he slid down it to the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest and hugging his arms around them. He leaned down to hide his face in his arms and was aware that he'd come full circle.

This had all started with him lost and alone in the rain, huddled like this in Kurt's sideyard. Then he'd been upset about Quinn moving on, and his regrets about his daughter, and too much alcohol. Now he was dead sober, and terrified once again. He tried to sort through everything.

Being with Kurt had changed him, down his core. The idea of Quinn, even thoughts of Beth….none of it had the same crippling effect on him as before. Now the only thought that threatened to suffocate him was the fact that Kurt wasn't with him. The petite soprano somehow had managed to turn him, the biggest badass in school, into a sobbing wreck. The answer was clear as day to him, as he remembered the moment they'd shared in the cab of his truck. He nearly groaned as he recalled the feel of the tight little body in his arms, the softness of Kurt's mouth, and the whimpers that had come out of the other boy when Noah had clutched at him.

Noah's chest ached with the weight of the emotion. He needed Kurt as much as he needed air now. He was out of tears to cry at this point, his shoulders simply shaking with the dry sobs. He didn't look up as the door opened, instead simply hoping that whoever it was would just keep walking past him.

"Noah?" Burt Hummel's voice cut through his despair, and Puck slowly lifted his head.

Burt Hummel crouched in front of him, looking extremely worried. Puck felt his stomach flip as he met the older man's gaze. He felt both relief and guilt at the sight of Kurt's father in that moment.

"Son? What are you doing here?" Burt demanded, but his voice wasn't angry.

Puck stammered an explanation, his voice raspy from crying. "they….wouldn't let me see him….family only…..nurse said."

Burt nodded stiffly, rising to his feet. He reached down for Noahs' arm, pulling him to his feet. "Come on kid."

"But…I told you…" Puck rambled as Burt tugged him down the corridor by his sleeve. "they won't let me…"

Burt stopped in his tracks, looking Puck square in the face with a knowing expression. "You love him." Burt's words were not a question, but a statement.

Puck could do nothing but nod.

"He loves you. _You are_ family now. Let's go." Burt turned again, still holding onto Puck's forearm as he walked with purpose back to the emergency desk. Mercedes jumped up when she saw them approach, but Burt made a beeline for the nurse, demanding to see his son.

"Of course Mr. Hummel…he's just been moved into a recovery room. I'll show you…but he…" the nurse stood, but gave Puck a disapproving look.

"HE is coming with me. Now lead on." Burt tone left no room for disagreement, and though the nurse frowned, she said nothing as she turned then to lead them through the doors.

Mercedes called his name, causing Puck to glance over his shoulder.

"Tell him I'm here."

Puck nodded as Burt tugged him through the doors and away.


	22. Silence after the Thunder

_**AUTHORS NOTE: Again, I can't thank you all enough, those of you who are enjoying this story and still reading. I have finally finished this one and should have the remainder of the chapters posted soon. I love reading reviews, so keep them coming. I have some more ideas on deck for this pair (Puck/Kurt) as they are such fun to write. I hope you all enjoy the final chapters of Tremble.**_ ~Vix

The nurse stopped outside a recovery room, and gestured for them to wait a moment as she ducked inside. Puck was surprised that Burt obeyed, but a moment later the nurse came out, this time with a doctor at her side. The tall man in the white coat had a chart in his hands and looked quite somber as he regarded the two men.

"Mr. Hummel? You're the boy's father?" The doctor began.

"Yes."

"And this?" He gestured towards Puck.

"He's family. Where's my son? Is he all right?"

The doctor pointed to the two chairs against the hallway wall. Burt sat, finally relinquishing his hold on Puck's jacket arm.

"Doc, tell me what happened." Burt was dead serious, his mouth set in a hard line.

"It appears that your son was attacked and beaten severely. His left forearm is fractured in two places and we had to set it in a cast. It also appears that he is suffering from a slight concussion. Other than that, he has some pretty intense bruising as well. We'd like to keep him overnight to run some tests, but….all in all, he will heal just fine."

Burt's face twisted into a pained grimace. Puck knew he probably wore a similar expression, the list of Kurt's injuries felt like multiple slaps to the face. But hearing that Kurt would recover did bring some relief from the pain.

"Can we see him?" Puck heard a strangled voice ask, it took him a full couple of seconds to realize it was his own.

The doctor looked up. "Yes, we've given him some pain medication so he'll be drowsy, and most likely disorientated."

Burt nodded. "Thank you."

The doctor shook Burt's hand and then left, walking briskly down the hall. Puck could barely contain the urge to run across the hall into the room, but he kept a hold on himself and allowed Burt to go in first. He inched in behind the man, and leaned against the wall just inside the door.

The lights were softer in here, only one dim light over the hospital bed where Kurt lay. Noah sucked in a deep breath at the sight of his love lying there, white as the sheets that covered him. His dark hair was mussed and a stark contrast to just how pale he looked. An IV was hooked up to his good arm and a monitor beeped softly nearby.

As Burt sat in the chair beside the bed, mumbling softly to his child, Noah simply stared at Kurt, his eyes drinking him in like a man dying of thirst. A lavender bruise had formed along Kurt's right jawline and Puck chewed his lip as he saw the blue cast that encased his forearm. Kurt's eyes were closed, but as Burt spoke softly, those dark lashes fluttered, then finally opened.

"Dad?" His voice was soft and confused.

"Hey kid. I'm here." Burt murmured, holding Kurt's good hand carefully so as not to upset the IV hooked into it.

"Oh dad….I'm sorry…."Kurt's forehead wrinkled. "I was so stupid…"

"Don't Kurt, you didn't do anything wrong."

"I shouldn't have gone…alone." Kurt mumbled, the drugs keeping him calm and woozy.

"No. You shouldn't have to fear for your safety while in that school. Once you're better I'm going down there to sort this out. Whoever did this to you….they are the ones in the wrong." Burt's tone was tight, and Puck knew that he was not the only one plotting revenge.

"Football team….they all had letterman jackets…." Kurt mumbled and Puck's fists clenched at his side.

"Did you know any of them?"

Kurt's face contorted again and Puck choked on a breath. Burt flicked his eyes toward Puck for a second and then back to Kurt.

"Karofsky…he was the one….who mostly…he went crazy…." Kurt squeezed his eyes shut tightly. "….he was the one who picked up the bat…" The monitor's beeping changed, becoming faster and more frantic as Kurt breathing went erratic.

Puck gasped and pressed his hand over his mouth to avoid crying out. The image of Kurt being hit with …._with a fucking bat_...was too much.

"It's okay son, you don't have to say any more right now. Just relax." Burt soothed, then looked to Noah. "You too."

Puck nodded vaguely, biting the knuckle of his fist to avoid the tears that were suddenly in his eyes, again. The room was quiet for a moment, save for the soft beeping of the monitor as Kurt calmed down. Burt suddenly stood up, gently letting go of Kurt's hand. He looked between the two boys for a moment before turning back to his son. As much as he didn't want to leave the room, there were some more questions he had for his son's doctor, not too mention that calling the police was now on his to=do list.

"I'll be back in a few minutes Kurt, I've got some phone calls to make." Burt said softly.

"Okay." Kurt mumbled, his eyes still closed, his breathing returning to normal.

Burt placed a hand on the door handle, then gave Noah a knowing glance before walking out of the room and quietly shutting the door.

Puck stumbled forward almost immediately, falling into the chair at Kurt's bedside. Kurt slowly turned his head on the pillow and opened his eyes. That beautiful blue that Noah had become addicted too was suddenly his to stare into again. Noah felt his control slipping as he stared into the other boys face. He gently touched the skin of Kurt's good arm, his fingers barely skimming the surface.

"Hey." Was all he could manage.

"Noah." Kurt's mouth curved into a soft smile, tugging at Noah's heartstrings. Puck had trouble keeping his emotion from showing on his face. Even in his drugged state, Kurt noticed.

"What's wrong?" He murmured.

Puck nearly laughed at the ridiculousness of the question. "What's wrong? Kurt, you're lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines, a cast on your arm…and a freakin concussion!" Puck sighed.

Kurt murmured in agreement, his pupils were slightly dilated and glassy thanks to his medication. He didn't lose that drowsy smile he wore. "Oh…ya, that's right."

Puck couldn't hold back the chuckle at Kurt's dreamy tone. Leave it to Kurt to manage to make him feel okay in the most horrible situation imaginable.

"I feel so guilty…I should never have let you out of my sight today….I had a feeling …but I never thought they would do something like this." Puck whispered.

"Don't feel bad…"Kurt mumbled. "I was stupid ….my fault…"

"No…not your fault. Not at all." Puck gently lifted Kurt's good hand, being careful not to disturb the IV taped to the back of it. He turned Kurt's hand over and pressed soft gentle kisses against the soft skin of his palm.

"Kurt….I…." Puck choked on his words, entwining his fingers with Kurt's pale soft ones.

Kurt slowly closed and then opened his eyes, staring at Puck's face. He gently flexed his fingers around Pucks, his hold lazy and soft.

"I love you too Noah." Kurt murmured, his words slightly slurred now. At first that scared Puck because of the doctors mention of a concussion, but as he watched Kurt's eyes closed and his breathing evened out. The drugs were just knocking him out, and it was probably a good thing, from the sound of things he was going to be in a lot of pain when they took him off the IV. He might as well enjoy the peaceful sleep it offered now.

Puck felt emotionally and physically drained himself. He leaned down to rest his cheek on the bed, one hand still carefully holding Kurt's. He listened to the soft rise and fall of Kurt's breathing, and the rhythmic beeping of the monitor. Before he knew it, he was sound asleep.

******************8

Burt paused outside the door to his son's room. He could see through the slim glass window on the door. Noah Puckerman was in the chair at Kurt's bedside, his upper body resting on the mattress. Burt smiled at the sight of their joined hands and Puck's exhausted form. He hadn't gotten the full story out of either of the boys yet. But from the looks of things, Noah had done everything he could have for Kurt. And the look on his face when Burt had all but fallen over him in the hallway…. Burt shook his head. Noah Puckerman was completely in love with his son. And Burt couldn't ask for anything more than that.

***********7***************7**************

Puck woke later in the night to a gentle shaking on his shoulder. One of the night nurses loomed over him. Puck yawned, knowing he was about to kicked out of Kurt's room, he was surprised they'd let him stay this long. But as his eyes focused he was glad to see that it wasn't the cranky woman from earlier, but a kind faced blond in her thirties.

" You can't be comfortable like that sweetie." She said softly, so as not to wake Kurt.

Puck sat up slowly, taking care not to jostle the mattress. Kurt's hand was still tangled in his and he stared at it, not wanting to let go. He finally forced his eyes to look back at the nurse.

"Are you here to kick me out?" He asked quietly.

The nurse looked at him for a moment as if weighing her words carefully. She moved her gaze over their joined hands, then up to Kurt's bruised face and her brow furrowed.

"No…I think he needs people that care about him right now. Poor kid." She murmured, more to herself than to Puck. She quietly checked Kurt's chart then turned back to Puck.

"Listen, I'm going to break some rules to let you stay with him…so you'll need to stay here and quiet. Okay?" She winked at him conspiratorially.

Puck felt relief flood through him. The nurse moved across the room to check Kurt's monitor, then she moved behind the curtain to roll a chair out from the other side of it. This chair looked more like recliner, she pushed it up to the other side of Kurt's hospital bed.

"Try this chair though honey, it reclines a bit so you can actually get some rest while he sleeps."

The first genuine smile of the evening spread across Puck's face as he nodded at the kind woman. She checked another thing on Kurt's chart then waved before exiting the room. Puck gently let go of Kurt's hand and moved over to the comfortable chair, reclining it a bit and bunching up his jacket to use as a pillow. He popped up the leg rest and curled up on his side, far from comfortable, but content because this way he could stare at Kurt's sleeping face.

The lights in the room were turned down lower now, only one small one near the door illuminated Kurt's peaceful expression. Puck was thankful that they had him on enough medication so that he could sleep without discomfort. He ached to run his fingers down Kurt's cheek, and it almost physically hurt that he couldn't pull the slender boy into his arms to kiss away all the horrors of the day. He tried to be content with the fact that at least he was allowed to be here now, to watch Kurt as he slept.

"Don't ever scare me like this again Hummel." Even though he knew Kurt wouldn't hear, he whispered to him softly. "I never expected it, never even imagined this could happen…." Puck choked on his words for a moment, unable to understand why he needed to say this out loud, even though Kurt was still snoozing peacefully. Something inside him was trying to work itself out.

"You've become so much to me Kurt, and knowing that somebody hurt you,….and I wasn't there…. It's killing me. I wish there was something I could do. All I know is… nobody has ever made me feel the way you do…not even a fraction." Puck sighed, staring for a moment at Kurt's perfect pink mouth.

"I've never loved anybody before you. I'm not used to this. But I wouldn't trade it, wouldn't give you up for anything." He murmured, finally feeling exhaustion creep over him.

Puck closed his eyes, feeling his heart slow down a little and finally regain it's normal rhythm. As sleep crept over him, Puck thought about how strange it was the way the universe worked. He'd always felt so alone, so out of place with everyone, no matter how badass of a reputation he created, he was always on the outside. With Kurt he finally felt that he belonged, that he was home.


	23. Aftershocks

Noah ignored the buzzing of his phone, grumbling in his sleep as he moved, trying to get comfortable. It continued to go off, buzzing, buzzing, until finally Puck murmured a curse and dug the damn thing out of his pocket. As he cracked open an eye he remembered where he was, the dim morning light coming through the windows of the hospital room. He risked a glance at Kurt, thankful that the other boy was still sleeping peacefully, then he opened his phone to whisper an irritated greeting.

"Puck! Where are you?" There was no hello, just the frantic question, and Puck had to check the caller id to see that it was Mr. Shuester calling him. For a moment he wondered how the Spanish teacher knew his cell number, but then remembered the school records kept all that.

"At the hospital." Puck said quietly.

"You're with Kurt? How is he?" The other man's voice sounded extremely concerned.

"His arm's in a cast….the doc said something about a concussion." Puck rattled off Kurt's damage report quietly, sneaking quick glances toward the boy in question as he spoke.

"Okay…well that all sounds like it will heal…." There was something else, Puck could hear it in the man's voice. There was a moment of silence before the teacher got to the point.

"I'm glad to hear that Kurt will be all right, but Puck…I need to ask you something very important. You need to be completely honest with me. Have you been with Kurt all night, there at the hospital?" Mr. Shue's voice was deadly serious and Puck bristled, unsure of what was coming.

"Yes. I haven't left." Puck decided to risk honesty.

There was a sigh on the other end, either of relief or frustration, Puck couldn't tell.

"Why?"

"There is a question about some vandalism that happened to a few students. Last night, someone went out and smashed the windows of a couple cars." Mr. Shue explained.

Puck understood. "Let me guess? I'm being blamed for it?"

"Well….it was _Dave_ _Karofsky's_ truck and a few other jocks who got vandalized."

Puck gritted his teeth. "I didn't do it Mr. Shue, but those bastards deserved whatever they got….they're the ones who…." Puck couldn't even finish the sentence for fear he'd start yelling.

"I know Puck. I'm going to try and figure out what happened, but Principal Figgins is going to want to see you when you get here. Are you coming in today? You've already missed most of first period." Mr. Shue did not sound surprised that Puck was not in school. After what had happened last night at Glee, the teacher must have realized that Puck would not be parted from Kurt just yet. Not in this situation.

"I might make it by lunch." Puck grumbled, knowing that if he put it off, Figgins would assume he was even more guilty.

"All right…come find me when you get here, before you go to Figgins." Mr. Shue offered. "You'll need someone in your corner. We'll sort it out Puck."

"Ya, okay." Puck mumbled a goodbye and quickly clicked his phone shut. He turned back toward the bed to find drowsy blue eyes watching him.

"Sorry…didn't mean to wake you." Puck said softly, watching as one side of Kurt's mouth pulled upward just a little.

"It's okay. I didn't think they'd let you stay." Kurt murmured, his voice still sort of dopey from the medicine.

"One of the nurses took pity on me." Puck's eyes drifted over Kurt's bruised jawline and then down to the cast that decorated his arm. His eyes burned as he stared at the injuries.

"What did Mr. Shue want?" Kurt asked.

"To tell me that someone smashed up Karofsky's truck and a few others." Puck tried to smile, thinking that at least someone had enacted some freaking justice on Kurt's behalf, even if it hadn't been him.

Kurt's eyes cleared a little in surprise, widening at the information. "Seriously?"

"Ya, assholes deserved whatever they got. But now….Figgins thinks…"

"That it was you?" Kurt's face was sobering a little more by the minute.

"Exactly."

Kurt was quiet for a moment, closing his beautiful eyes as he sighed. When he opened them again he stared into Noah's face for another minute before answering.

"I'll vouch for you, if you need it."

The lump in his throat was suddenly back with a vengeance. "Thanks."

"Noah?"

"Ya?"

"I never thanked you for saving me."

"I didn't save you Kurt. I should have…." Puck choked, praying to any deity that would listen to help not to cry again.

"But you _did_ Noah. You found me. They heard you coming…." Kurt closed his eyes, wincing a little at the memory.

Puck bit his lip. He vaguely remembered the sound of tires screeching in the parking lot. He hadn't realized. It made him feel marginally better about the whole situation.

"I really do love you. I hope you know that." Kurt's voice was solid and sure this time, as he enunciated each word carefully, watching Noah's face.

"God Kurt, you have no idea….." Puck rasped, moving to lean over the bed so he could place a gentle kiss against the cool skin of Kurt's forehead. "You're my heart now."

GLEE GLEE GLEE GLEE GLEE

GLEE

Puck managed to sneak out of the hospital a little while later undetected. He hadn't wanted to leave but Kurt's doctor had returned to examine him again and Kurt had assured him that it was fine for him to go. He still had been reluctant but he also knew that Burt Hummel would be arriving any moment and would keep his son company for the day hours.

Puck trudged home and showered before gearing up to face the music at McKinley. Even as he parked his truck and walked through the halls toward Mr. Shues' classroom he could feel the tension just pulsing through the hallways. By now everyone had heard about what had happened, he could tell from the furtive whispers and sidelong glances he kept drawing from nearly every passerby. He wondered just how much of last night had been made public, Kurt's beating, Puck's reaction, the fact that he'd completely lost it over the whole event? It was hard to tell.

"Puck!" Mercedes was suddenly at his side, grabbing a hold of his arm tightly. He smiled slightly, glad to see a friendly face in the gloom.

"Hey Diva."

"What happened last night? You never came back, Mr. Hummel did. He told me about Kurt, poor baby boy having to stay the night…how is he? Details!" She gushed, as she fell into step with him.

"His arm's broken, he's got a cast. He looks like hell…they bruised up his face…he was mostly out of due to the meds the docs had him on."

"Oh…" Mercedes face lost it's smile as her brow furrowed. She obviously cared about Kurt a good deal, and Puck was still thankful to her for helping him get to the hospital the night before.

"I think he'll be fine after awhile…."

They reached Mr. Shue's classroom then and the teacher nearly jumped up from behind his desk as the entered.

"Puck, you made it." The older man came around to gingerly pat Puck's shoulder.

"Yea, might as well get this over with now." Puck mumbled, knowing that now came the firing squad in Figgin's office.

"Are you sure Puck?" Mr. Shue got was getting that protective look on his face. But Puck had trouble believing it, since when had any teacher at McKinley ever cared about helping him. He frowned, feeling that his event was about to go down much like the whole stupid ATM scenario. This time he was going to have to fight harder, he squared his jaw. There was no way he was getting thrown back into juvie and leaving Kurt defenseless. Not after last night.

"Get what over with?" Mercedes piped up, looking at the somber expressions on the men's faces.

"Someone trashed Karofsky's truck and a few others last night. They think it was me, of course." Puck grumbled, avoiding looking anywhere but down at the ground.

"Come on Puck, I'll come with you. This is my free period, I can be there."

"Thanks, I guess." Puck sighed and followed Mr. Shue's lead down the hallway. He was vaguely aware of Mercedes continuing to walk by his side. He glanced quickly at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Coming with. I'm not about to let you get this slapped on you when _I know_ it's crap." She said surely.

"Thanks, but you don't have to get involved." Puck murmured, grimacing as he saw the door to the principals office come into view. Funny that he'd been in that room so many times before when he had deserved and it never bothered him. This time was different, and he felt like he was suddenly living in his own mirror image.

"Yes I do. I saw you last night Puck, remember? I drove you to the hospital, and I waited there for a good couple hours. You never came back out of his room." Her voice was determined as they all came to a stop at the door. Mr. Shue went in first to announce their arrival.

Puck looked over at the shorter girl, and he suddenly understood just why Kurt was so close with her. It was clear that she went to bat for anyone that she cared about, and Puck was suddenly glad that he had her in his corner.

"Thanks, that means a lot that you would do this."

"Don't sweat it Puck. Just make Kurt happy and we'll call it even."

"I plan to." Puck smiled then, finally feeling it for the first time that day.

But then the door opened and Mr. Shue popped his head out to gesture them both in. Mercedes nodded, but then stopped at the door.

"You go ahead, I have to make a phone call then I'll be right in." She said, winking at Puck before digging her phone out of her bag.

Puck nodded and followed Mr. Shue in to take one of the seats across from Figgins who regarded him with a somber stare.

GLEE

Outside Mercedes quickly dialed a number that she was thankful she'd forced out of Kurt weeks ago. The line only rang a handful of times before a gruff voice answered.

"Burt Hummel."

"Mr. Hummel! It's Mercedes, Kurt's friend? I _need _to talk to you. It's important."

GLEE

GLEE

"Mr. Puckerman, I assume you know why you're here." Figgins began.

"Because I'm being blamed for something I didn't do." Puck grumbled.

"As I understand it, you were quite upset last night after what happened to the Hummel boy?"

Puck didn't answer, fixing his gaze on a cracking spot in the plaster wall. He was reliving the night when he'd crashed the car into the ATM. No one would listen then either.

"Principal Figgins, Kurt Hummel was severely beaten and assaulted last night. All the students in Glee were extremely upset." Mr. Shue tried to explain.

"But not all the students in Glee club have a history of vandalism and bullying like Mr. Puckerman. Also, not all the Glee club students have the physical strength to do the amount of damage that was done to the cars in question."

Puck sighed and slouched further into the chair.

GLEE

GLEE

GLEE

Burt Hummel listened attentively as Kurt's friend called for help. His blood boiled as he heard that at that very moment Noah was sitting in the principals' office, after everything that had happened.

"Listen Mr. Hummel, I don't know if you're aware of it right now, but Puck loves Kurt, and I'm pretty sure the feeling's mutual. It's not right for Puck to go juvie over this, especially when he didn't do it! I need your help."

Burt's free hand tightened into a fist. Granted he hadn't had the easiest time accepting that his son preferred boys over girls, but Noah had quietly stepped into their lives and was now an integral part. His eyes drifted over to his son where he lay on the hospital bed, his brow furrowed in concern as he listened. Mercedes spoke for a few more moments and then hung up.

"What's going on Dad?"

"It's about Noah son…are you going to be all right if I leave for awhile?" Burt stood up from his chair, reluctant to leave Kurt's side, but he knew that another boy needed his presence much more at the moment.

Kurt struggled to sit up a bit more, wincing at the pain it caused. Burt's heart squeezed. "Relax, lay down."

"They're blaming him Dad….Noah…his probation…juvenile hall.."Kurt whimpered, gasping as his bruised ribs caused each movement to be far more painful than he anticipated.

"I know, that was your friend Mercedes on the phone. She's there right now."

"He didn't do it Dad, Noah was here all night. He slept in that chair." Kurt flicked his eyes toward the chair where Puck had spent the night. "I have to talk to the principal…dad….we have to help him."

"Kurt calm down! Lay down and relax or I'll have that nurse come back in here to knock you back out. Listen, if you promise to calm down, I'm going to drive down to that ridiculous school and take care of this." Burt commanded, but his tone belied the sternness.

"But Dad..I…." Kurt sputtered, but laid his head back against the pillow, already winded and exhausted from the small spurt of energy.

"No buts kid, just stay down. I mean it about having them knock you out again if that's what it takes."

"Okay, just don't let them send him away." Kurt's tone went from frustrated to pleading as his blue eyes locked with his fathers. "Dad, I _need_ him." Kurt's voice was barely a whisper now as those eyes glassed over slightly.

"I know son. I'm gonna go clear this up right now." Burt leaned down to kiss the top of Kurt's head, and softly ruffle his brunette locks before turning on his heel to march out the door.

Kurt closed his eyes for a moment and sent up a silent wish that his father made it in time. He'd never thought about it before but he was suddenly glad that McKinley was only a few blocks away.

GLEEGLEEGLEE

GLEEGLEEGLEE

Puck listened as Figgins rattled off the incident in question. He had been unclear on the details but it appeared as though sometime in the night someone had driven to Karofsky's house and beat the living shit out of his truck with a bat. The windshield had been shattered, all the windows broken and the doors dented up before the vandal had finished. Three other jocks had their cars hit by the same person but Karofsky's vehicle bore the brunt of the damage.

As Puck listened he couldn't help but feel that whoever the mystery vandal was, he owed them one. Despite the fact that he was being blamed for their actions, at least someone had enacted some justice on Kurt's behalf. But his silence was taken as a confession as Figgins frown deepened.

"So you have nothing to say Mr. Puckerman? This is quite disappointing."

"What do you expect me to say? You've all made up your mind to blame me for this crap anyway. Would it even matter if I said I was innocent?"

"You have a history of vandalism and disrespect Mr. Puckerman. Plus you were angry over what happened to the other boy…it makes sense."

Puck flexed his fists against the chair arms. "I am angry…because my…Kurt, because he got his fucking arm broken! He didn't do anything to them, he was just going to get his phone…and they freaking beat him up and left him." Puck's tone dropped to a low growl.

"Puck….it's okay…" Mr. Shue tried to calm him, but Puck suddenly felt his vision zero down to a pinprick with rage.

"It is NOT okay! What happened to him is NOT okay!"

"Calm yourself Mr. Puckerman!" Figgins raised his voice. Puck got a fraction of satisfaction from that, it was about time that he wasn't the only person who was upset. He vaguely heard the door opening behind him.

"Don't you dare tell him to calm down! You're the one who should be upset. You let this happen to Kurt!" Mercedes was suddenly leaning against Figgins desk, and the older man looked completely shocked at her outburst. "You and all the other teachers here at this school who just look the other way when the jocks shove us into lockers, throw slushies at people, and act like they can terrorize anyone because they're above the rules!"

"Ms. Jones….please!" Figgins finally found his voice, but Puck could see that Mercedes was not about to back down. From the look on her face Puck could tell that she wouldn't bat an eyelash over being suspended for defending her friend.

"No, it's not fair Mr. Figgins. Kurt didn't do anything to those jerks, and they could have killed him. How would that have looked do you think? Nice headline actually…_principal allows bullying to escalate to murder_…" Mercedes tone was harsh and painful. Her statement sucked all the air out of the room.

Puck stared as Figgin's eyes widened to the point that they looked like they might fall out. It took a full moment or two before the man was able to utter a response.

"How dare you…."

Mr. Shue finally spoke then, jumping up to try and usher Mercedes back out of the office. "You've said enough."

"Don't let them blame this on Puck…Mr. Shue. They need a fall guy, don't let it be him." Mercedes protested, but allowed the teacher to gently guide her out of the office. Puck looked down at the floor. He'd been somewhat comforted by her appearance and temper flare, but now he was alone again with the authority figure and he waited for the blame that he knew was coming. He tried to think thoughts that would keep him from jumping up and throwing his chair through a window. He closed his eyes as Mr. Shue sat back down, behind his lids he saw Kurt that day at his house, clinging to him, jumping into his arms. Yes…that made him calm down, made his heart thud loudly, but for a more pleasant reason.

Puck listened as Mr. Shue tried to convince Figgins that Puck hadn't been the vandal in question. Figgins argued and the conversation went in circles. Puck just tried to slouch even further in the chair. He rubbed at his forehead with the back of his hand. He suddenly wished he'd never left the hospital this morning. He didn't want to be here, in this office chair, or this situation. He wanted to be there, with Kurt…telling him stupid jokes to keep his mind off the pain, anything but this.

"Mr. Shuester, while I can see that you believe Mr. Puckerman is innocent, I'm afraid that all signs point to him being the guilty party. He was angry over what happened to the Hummel boy, he has a history of vandalism…..I'm going to have to call the juvenile authorities, and the police department I'm afraid." Figgins' voice echoed in the small office and Puck let out a strangled sigh. He heard the sound of the door opening again and wondered if Mercedes had returned for another round.

"I didn't do this." He said sitting up more and enunciating each word.

"You're damn right you didn't!" An angry adult male voice jolted Puck almost out of his chair. He spun his head to see the lurking form of Burt Hummel come striding into the office. His face was red with anger and he moved right toward Puck's chair.

"Mr. Hummel!" Figgins was flustered and quickly stood from his chair, extending his hand. "I've been meaning to speak with you today…I'm so sorry about what happened to your son."

"Oh yeah? If you're so sorry, then why have you stood by and done nothing while those idiot jock football players terrorized my son for months?"

Figgins nearly fell back into his chair in shock. First Mercedes, now a real live parent was standing up to him. Puck was sure that if anyone else arrived in a rage, the older man would wet himself.

"Don't have an answer for that do you?" Burt challenged, standing beside Noah's chair.

"You people have done nothing to help Kurt. All you've done was let those jock kids know that they were above the rules, above any kind of punishment or consequence. Is it any wonder that their behavior escalated to this level?"

"Burt…I…" Mr. Shuester sputtered, trying to gain a footing in the conversation.

"Shuester right? I know Kurt is fond of you and the Glee club, but from what I've heard you haven't stepped up and stopped the bullying either." Burt chastised, but his tone was much more reserved as he spoke to the choir teacher.

"And now…after you've created a situation that led to my only child nearly getting beat to death in his high school parking lot….you have the nerve to intimidate and threaten the one person who stood up for him and tried to help!" Burt turned his wrath back on the principal.

Puck had been frozen in shock and surprise ever since the older man walked in, but now he felt his face flush and the air rush out of his lungs. No one had ever gone to bat for him before, it was foreign when Mercedes had done it moments ago, and it was other worldly to see it coming from Kurt's father.

"I don't understand." Figgins finally spoke, not sure how to proceed.

"I'll explain it for you." Burt clamped a hand down on Puck's shoulder, possessively…like a bear protecting his cub. "Noah, is not the one who should be sitting in this office being threatened. From what I've gathered, you all are in an uproar because someone last night had the guts to stand up to the psychopaths you call a football team, by vandalizing their vehicles?" Burt questioned.

"Y…yes Mr. Hummel. That's correct…but Mr. Puckerman…" Figgins started to try to shift the blame, but Burt's eyes blazed and his hand squeezed Puck's shoulder.

"…was at the hospital with my son. _**All. Night. Long**_." Burt enunciated each word, his voice echoing in the small room as he spoke with purpose.

"But….I …he…" Figgins couldn't decide which sentence he wanted to go with.

"That is where he was. This kid didn't leave my son's bedside until around 9am this morning, so clearly you have made a mistake."

Puck was frozen in his seat. If he'd been shocked moments before by Mercedes defending him, he was floored by Burt's presence as his ally. He'd admired Burt for the type of stand up father he was, even more so since he'd really gotten to know the man. He'd been the one adult in Puck's life who had bothered to give him a second chance, who'd offered him trust. Now, even after everything that had happened to Kurt last night, here was Burt Hummel, defending him. Puck suddenly felt humbled and grateful.

Principal Figgins looked like some sort of trapped animal, and his face went through several shades of red and even purple before he calmed down enough to speak again.

"Well…" he began slowly, looking at each face in the room in turn. "..it appears that Mr. Puckerman has an alibi for the time in question. It looks like we need to keep searching to find out mysterious vandal."

"Damn right you do. And now I have another thing to say to you both." Burt looked from the principal to his son's Spanish teacher, his face deadly serious.

"Not only are you going to dismiss this crap against Noah, I fully expect you to find and expel the boys who assaulted my son. I'm filing a police report today so you should expect to be contacted by the authorities." Burt was calming down now as he spoke, but his tone was still rock hard. Puck fought the urge to smirk as he watched his principal's eyes widen like a cartoon character.

"And lastly, if an anti-bullying policy is not put into action by the time my son returns to class, I will be filing a lawsuit against the McKinley school district."

Mr. Shuester and Principal Figgins both wore identical looks of shock at the bombshell Burt dropped. Even Puck couldn't smirk.

"Mr. Hummel…I understand you are upset…but you cannot…"Figgin's voice sputtered and stammered as he tried to answer.

"Oh I can, and I assure you…I will. My son has suffered from endless bullying his entire time here at McKinley. But what happened last night was worse than anything I could have thought of. And it happened on McKinley school property. I was angry before when Kurt told me of being thrown in dumpsters, having slushies thrown on him, and being slammed into lockers…." Burt temper was building once again and Puck reached up to cover the man's hand on his shoulder. He was concerned as he knew that Burt was still recovering from heart trouble.

"…but now my only child is currently lying in a hospital bed with a mild concussion, a broken arm, and ribs so bruised that it hurts him to breathe. I am no longer angry gentleman, I am furious."

"Burt…I…I'm sorry." Mr. Shue tried to diffuse the tension in the room, but Burt silenced him with a hard glare.

"I don't want your apologies. I want your action now. Remember what I said. Come on Noah." Burt pulled on his shoulder and Puck stood obediently, but was hesitant to follow.

"But Burt…I have …class." Noah said quietly.

"You are needed elsewhere. They'll get you the work you miss…it's the least they can do for harassing you." Burt turned to look pointedly at Mr. Shuester, who swallowed hard before nodding.

Puck finally let the small smile he'd been holding in show as he followed Burt out of the room. As soon as the door shut behind him he opened his mouth to thank Burt but before the words came, Mercedes jumped at him.

"Puck! Mr. Hummel! What happened in there? You're not going back to juvie, are you?" Mercedes gushed, the words nearly running together as they came so fast.

"No, I'm not. Thank you." Puck directed the last two words at Kurt's father. "Really. I don't know how to thank you enough Mr. Hummel." Puck wanted to hug the other man, but refrained as he didn't know how it would be taken.

"For starters, just call me Burt." The man took off his baseball cap and rubbed a hand over his face before replacing the hat. "And secondly, you can come with me back to the hospital, I talked to the Lima police department this morning, they are going to send an officer over this afternoon to get that report started, they'll want your side."

Puck nodded, not eager about dealing with the police, but knowing that it needed to be done.

"Plus…Kurt wants you there." Burt smiled just the smallest bit.


	24. Rebuilding

PUCK

"Noah!" Sarah's voice cut through the fog he was in. He opened an eye and was surprised to find himself still in his clothes and shoes from the day before. He didn't remember lying down on his bed, or even coming home really.

It had been decided in the evening for Kurt to stay another night at the hospital, for monitoring. The whole day had been a stressful one, involving a police interview and Puck's brush with expulsion. Kurt had handled it okay, but he was still in a lot of pain and the doctors had been worried about sending him home just yet. Puck had been tempted to spend another night at the hospital, but Kurt had been completely knocked out with his medicine and Burt had suggested that they both try and get some real sleep. It had been late by the time he'd dragged in and he'd been totally exhausted.

"You okay big brother?" Sarah perched on the side of the bed, her flannel pajama set baggy and hanging loose on her tiny frame.

"Ya….just tired sis."

"Tired enough to sleep in your jeans and shoes?" Sarah quirked one of her eyebrows, just like his, and Noah had to chuckle.

"It's been a really rough couple days." He groaned, rolling on his side to grab his sister around the waist pulling her back to lean against him.

Sarah leaned against him, pulling her flannel clad knees up to her chest. She was quiet for a few moments before she spoke again. "I heard about Kurt, Noah."

Noah stiffened a little, closing his eyes. Of course he'd known that by now the news had to be everywhere. A high school kid getting gay bashed into the hospital had to be making the small town gossip circuit light up.

"How did you….What did you hear?" He asked, keeping his eyes shut.

"Matthews older brother is that dumb kid at your school who runs the trashtalk blog." She explained. "He told me that Kurt got beat up….hurt pretty bad. And that his….that you found him. Is that what happened?" Sarah's voice was hesitant and soft. Noah could tell she was nervous about asking him this.

Noah swallowed over the lump that formed in his throat every time the memory of the other night played in his mind. "Yes. That's true."

"Is Kurt going to be all right?"

"The doctors said so, hopefully he gets to go home today." Noah opened his eyes and looked over at Sarah's face, her pretty features curving up into a tiny half smile.

"Well that's good."

Noah yawned and let his eyes roam over to the clock. The red letters blazed 9:30 am.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be at school?" He hadn't realized the hour.

Sarah smiled. "It's Saturday silly."

Noah was surprised, he'd lost track of days…realizing that it had only been a day or so since Kurt's attack.

"Mom already at work?" Noah asked.

Sarah nodded. "I heard her leave….she didn't say goodbye." Sarah mumbled the last part against her knees and Noah heard the fresh disappointment in her voice. His stomach shifted a little. He honestly hated how their mother didn't seem to realize that her indifference was painful to both her kids, especially Sarah.

"Sorry small-one…" Noah used Sarah's nickname.

"She didn't even ask me about school…why I was home early yesterday." Sarah mumbled, dropping her head down so her shiny dark hair fell in a straight curtain, hiding her face. There was something in her tone.

"Early? You getting sick?" He asked, looking more closely at her.

She shook her head but didn't answer.

"Sarah? Tell me." Noah pushed himself up onto his elbows, concerned now.

She lifted her head and slowly lifted her face, her features contorted in a guilty expression. "I got a half day suspension." She wrinkled up her nose.

"You what?" Noah suddenly was wide awake and sat all the way up. He rubbed at his face with his hands. Sarah was a model student, straight A's and never missed class, unlike him. "What did you do?"

Sarah took a deep breath and then let her story gush out. "Matthew…he was going on and on about what happened to Kurt, how he got hurt and everything. Some other boys started saying nasty things, about how maybe it wasn't bad what happened to him…"

Noah felt his fist clench at his side, even junior high kids could be that cruel?

But Sarah wasn't done.

"…then this other boy in my class jumped in and said that gay guys were disgusting, and how he thought it was pretty cool that somebody tried to beat the fag out of the fairy…." Sarah's jaw tightened and if Noah hadn't been worrying about the end of the story he would have started cursing right then and there.

"….so I punched him." Sarah finished.

A second earlier Noah had been ready to go pound some junior high punks, but now he just sat and stared in shock at his baby sister. "You….you….what?"

Sarah sat up a little straighter. "I punched him, in the face." She looked embarrassed, yet slightly proud at the same time.

Noah tried to say something, but nothing came out of his mouth. He tried to picture his small sister punching a kid in the face and failed. He knew she had a mouth on her, and that sometimes her temper could rival a pissed off badger but this…..a laugh began to bubble up out of him.

He tried to hold it, but it exploded out of him and he fell back on the bed. Sarah's eyes widened in shock as she watched him, her own smile tentatively finding it's way back.

"What's so funny? You aren't mad?" She asked.

It took a few more moments of laughter for Noah to be able to answer.

"Actually, I'm not. What happened then?"

No longer scared of his reaction, Sarah rushed on eagerly. "...he tried to hit me back, but I moved… he tripped onto the ground…I was gonna walk away then, but he said….something about my brother being a dirty fag too….so I ran back and jumped on him…I hit him a handful of times before the teacher showed up. His nose was bleeding….and he cried like a baby in the principals office. We both got sent home early for fighting. Mom needs to sign this note they sent." Sarah finished, looking much more triumphant now that Noah wasn't angry.

"You are a crazy little girl…." Noah ruffled her hair. "But I love you for it."

Sarah leaned in to hug him, grinning against his t-shirt. "Nobody gets to say shit about my brother…or his boyfriend." She laughed.

"Hey now….just cause you're a little badass in training doesn't mean you get to talk like that!" Noah reached over to tickle her side, ellicting piercing shrieks and giggles as she tried to wriggle away.

"I give up! I take it back!" She squealed, and Noah let her go. She flopped back on the foot of the bed, catching her breath. Noah smiled, feeling somewhat better than he had in the last 24 hours.

"You know what one of the worst things was though?" She asked, a twinkle in her eye.

"What?"

"He got blood on my new jacket." She wrinkled up her nose in disgust and it was Noah's turn to bust out laughing again.

"Hey, that's nice jacket, it's not funny!" She squeaked at him.

"No, it's just….you sound just like Kurt." Noah laughed. "He's like that about his clothes too."

"I like him more. So can I meet him now?" She asked, sitting up again.

"Ya, I think you need to meet Kurt…especially since you went all revenge of the sisters on some kid, defending his honor." Noah smiled and pulled his sister in for another hug. "Why don't we get ready and you can come with me over to the hospital? We'll grab breakfast on the way."

"Really?"

"Really, now go on and get dressed. I need a shower."

Puck waited for a moment while Sarah wandered through the gift shop. He leaned against the wall, watching as her dark haired head weaved in and around the various displays. He tried to think about what had happened over the last few days. In many ways he still felt shell shocked by all that had transpired. Only one thing remained clear to him now, and that was how much he cared about the boy recovering in a room upstairs.

Not only that, but Puck bit his lip as he thought about how Kurt's father had come to his rescue yesterday in the principal's office. It had been such an amazing thing to Puck then, having grown up without a father in the picture at all, ….to have this man believe him, trust him, and then come to his defense. Burt had asked no questions, he had simply come because it was the right thing to do. And because _Kurt needed_ him.

Noah felt blood come up to heat his cheeks. It felt good to be wanted and needed, to know that at least he was good for something, for someone. Suddenly he needed to see that someone, badly.

"Sis, come on! Let's go."

Sarah was at the register now, fishing money out of her pocket as she paid for something. She nodded at her brother and finished her transaction quickly. A moment later she came trotting over, a stuffed animal and balloon in hand. Puck chuckled at the sight of the brown bear with the violet ribbon tied around it's neck.

"Why that one Sarah?" He asked, leading her toward the elevators.

Sarah rolled her eyes at him, but then flashed a teasing smile. "Don't you read?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Purple is the color that represents support against gay bullying." She explained, as if this was common knowledge to everyone.

"I didn't know that."

"Honestly big brother, you should surf the net once in awhile, the information alone would make your head spin." She giggled.

"Enough sarcasm small-one…get in." He gave her a gentle shove forward as the doors slid open to reveal an empty elevator.

Burt had texted Puck earlier to tell him that Kurt had been moved a recovery room where the rules on visitors were not as strict. Puck was thankful as he'd known that Sarah might have pouted if her meeting with Kurt was postponed. But as the elevator crept up to Kurt's floor, he wondered just how the two would interact. His instinct told him that he was going to have his hands full with the two of them in the same room.

As soon as the doors slid open, Sarah bounced out into the hallway, the balloon she held bobbing in the air. Puck glanced at the signs and led his sister down the left hallway toward the room that Burt had told him. It was all the way at the end and Puck stopped at the closed door. He knocked gently.

The door swung open a moment later to reveal Burt Hummel, looking tired, but considerably better than the previous day. He smiled as he saw Puck.

"Noah. Glad you came, he needs some cheering up." It was then that Burt took notice of Sarah. "And who's this?"

Puck shoved Sarah forward gently. "This is my sister. She's been pestering me to meet Kurt, and I just thought….." Puck rambled, not sure if this was the best time.

Burt's smile widened as he saw the stuffed bear that Sarah clutched. "Sure, like I said, a distraction is just what Kurt could use. Come on in you two." Burt opened the door wider and Puck prodded Sarah to walk in front of him.

As the stepped into the room Puck was glad to see that it was a single occupancy one, with a couple of chairs around the bed. Kurt was propped up against pillows and looking somewhat glum as he stared blankly at the overhead television. He turned his head slowly as they entered the room, and Noah felt his heart skip as a light flickered in Kurt's eyes when he saw them. Those blue eyes beamed at him for a moment before latching on Sarah with curiosity.

Sarah suddenly went shy, leaning back against Puck's front and clutching the teddy bear to her chest. Puck sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her forward toward a chair by Kurt's bedside.

"Kurt, this is Sarah, my baby sister. She wanted to meet you." He explained, giving Sarah one more gentle shove toward the bed.

"I _am not_ a baby." Sarah's voice came out as more of a squeak and Puck chuckled. Sarah turned her head to shoot him a death glare as he sat down in the other chair. She gently moved to hand Kurt the bear and balloon. "These are for you."

Kurt's mouth curved into a small smile at Sarah's sassy remark and he ran his hand over the violet ribbon tied around the bear's neck. "Thank you, I love purple."

Sarah grinned triumphantly at Puck. "See?"

Puck groaned and shrugged. Sarah shifted her weight shyly from foot to foot, but then her eyes alighted on the magazines on Kurt's nightstand. "Oh my gosh! Is that the new teen vogue?" She snatched it up and Kurt's expression drifted from surprise to amusement.

Sarah rifled through the pages. "I just love this magazine, but Noah and Mom always refuse to buy it."

Kurt's mouth twitched and Puck could see he was stifling laughter.

"That's because it's an expensive gossip rag." Puck teased, wincing as Sarah slapped him across the arm with said magazine.

"Shut up! Just because you dress like a homeless person half the time doesn't mean the rest of the world does!" Her high voice twittered and both Hummel men laughed out loud.

Puck looked at Kurt, so happy to see him smiling and laughing that he didn't care it was at his expense. He was no longer nervous about bringing Sarah along on the visit, and relaxed in his chair. She flipped pages and twittered about various trends in clothing and what not that the magazine talked about. It didn't take long for Kurt to jump in and soon Sarah was perched on the side of his hospital bed as their discussion veered into a jumble of brand names and couture.

Puck rolled his eyes and glanced over at Burt who looked just as lost. The older man grabbed the television remote and started surfing until he found football game and both men sighed in relief. Burt flicked his gaze toward where Kurt and Sarah were now in a heated discussion on the overuse of plaid in an outfit.

"Glad you brought her." Burt said quietly.

Puck smiled, having the feeling that somehow his little makeshift family was more complete. "Ya, me too."

Puck's phone rang toward the end of the football game. Sarah and Kurt had gone from one fashion magazine to the next over the past few hours and were now playing a game on Kurt's iphone. Sarah had kept up an incessant line of chatter from the moment she'd opened the copy of Teen Vogue until now. But at the sound of Puck's ringtone she suddenly went quiet. Burt muted turned the television down as Puck answered.

"Hey Ma."

"Is she with you Noah?" Their mom's voice was quiet and frustrated.

"Yes, we're at the hospital."

"Why are you there? Oh ….that boy that got hurt at your school right?" She sighed and Puck could almost see her grimace.

"Ya, Ma. Sarah wanted to come with me to visit him." Puck mumbled, feeling somewhat down about just how little his mother knew about his life.

"Well…I just checked my messages and there are like 3 from her school yesterday."

Puck fought the urge to say something nasty about how if it had been an emergency at the school and Sarah had gotten hurt or something, their mother wouldn't have known for over 24 hours.

"I know about that already." He said instead.

"You can tell her that she's grounded once you both get home." Another long sigh. "I don't have the time to deal with this right now. You two know that."

"Don't worry about it Ma."

"But she…"

"She will explain later. Just take your nap before you have to go back tonight." Puck knew he sounded like the parent with his statement, but it was a known fact in their household that if Mae didn't get some sleep between shifts, then all hell broke loose.

"Keep an eye on her, and let her know ….that I don't appreciate this." And with that she hung up, no goodbye, no questions about what was going on with him, just a click.

Puck sighed and jammed the stupid phone back in his pocket, then glanced at Sarah. "She says that you're grounded."

Both Hummel men turned to stare at them. Kurt spoke first. "What did you do?"

Sarah's cheeks went pink and she ducked her head back down.

Puck grinned slightly, and Kurt caught it. "You know?"

"Of course I know, she's my sister." Puck laughed as Sarah gave him a glare, but it didn't stop him. "Let's just say she's got more 'Puck' in her than she thought."

"What?" Burt piped up, totally confused.

"She beat up some kid." Puck finished, looking nothing but proud.

Sarah let out an angry squeak and jumped up from Kurt's bedside to stomp over and slap his shoulder. "Blabbermouth!"

Puck laughed and rubbed his arm. Both Burt and Kurt Hummel were staring at them with identical shocked expressions. Puck wasn't sure if it was surprise over what he'd said about Sarah, or her outburst.

"Excuse me if I find it funny that my 'sweet little sister' got herself suspended for defending my honor." Puck laughed, the warm sound rumbling through his chest.

"She did what?" Kurt's voice was high with surprise and Puck glanced over to see that perfect face staring at them, wide eyed.

Sarah sighed and quickly told them the story of what had happened at her school. When it ended her cheeks were redder and she bit her lip waiting for the reaction of Kurt and his dad. Kurt simply offered her a smile, but Burt Hummel laughed long and hard before turning his attention back to the game.

Later that afternoon, after saying their goodbyes, Sarah bounced down the hallway toward the elevators. Burt lingered in the doorway of Kurt's room as Puck walked out.

"Sorry for just showing up with her….she wanted to meet him…" Puck started, but Burt cut him off.

"Don't apologize Noah. She's a great kid. I like her."

"You do?"

Burt snorted. "Ya, hell…I barely know the kid, but after what she did, I'd consider adopting her."

Puck chuckled, and said his goodbye's to the older man. Burt explained that Kurt would be checking out of the hospital the next day hopefully, if his doctors cleared him, hinting that Puck would be welcome at the house once they returned. Puck waved and jogged down the hall to catch up with Sarah.

"I can't believe you outed me like that." She twittered as they walked into the elevator.

"Couldn't help it."

"Liar."

They were both quiet for a moment. "Kurt's nice."

Puck nodded, chewing his lip. "Yeah, he is."

"I'm glad he's with you. I think…." She faltered for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "…I think that you guys fit."

Puck took a deep breath, feeling the ache in his chest a little more.

"Yeah, so do I."

The doors slid open and Sarah flounced ahead of him a few paces, before tossing a devious smile back over her shoulder. "And who knows…maybe if you're nice, Kurt will teach you how to match your socks."


	25. Need to feel it

_**AUTHORS NOTE: The chapter after this will be the last one. I have changed the rating for this story due to this chapter. I wanted to add that I am not a doctor so if some of Kurt's injuries/treatments are not spot on, that is why. :) Im glad you all have enjoyed reading this story, it has been such fun to write and I have a couple other fic ideas spinning through my head for these boys. **_

PUCK

It turned out that the doctors did not allow Kurt to go home for a week after. While Puck knew Kurt wasn't happy about the prolonged stay, everyone agreed it was for the best. His injuries were healing quickly except for the broken arm, which would take more time as the break was more severe. Puck returned to school, and it was sheer torture. He forced himself to go to class, if only so that he could try and keep his mind from obsessing over everything that had happened. The day that Kurt was discharged was the next Friday and Puck was stuck in school for the morning. He'd wanted to be there to help when Kurt went home, but Burt assured him that it would be fine and that he was welcome to come over as soon as class let out.

Now he sat in the last class of the day, trying to keep his mind busy until the bell. He was supposed to be at Glee rehearsal, but after what had happened last week he had no desire to be there. It didn't feel right to go without Kurt. As the other boy's name ghosted through his mind he glanced again at the clock and cursed silently when he realized he still had 30 minutes to go. Puck smiled at little at the realization that he had never been so smitten with anyone before Kurt. He'd never counted minutes on a clock for anyone but the slender soprano.

By now most of the school knew that there was something more between them than just being choir mates. The gossip over Kurt's attack, and just who had found him and why had spread quickly. It didn't matter much to him anymore, he had bigger things on his mind. Puck had thought about trying to confide in his mom, he'd even gone so far as to start trying to explain the night after he returned with Sarah. As his history teacher droned on, Puck recalled that stalled conversation.

"Ma?"

"Don't bother trying to reduce her sentence. You were grounded for a week over your first suspension too Noah." His mom said flatly as she picked at the microwave dinner on her plate.

"No, it's not about Sarah….well sort of, not about her being grounded, but about what she did."

His mom looked up at him then and rubbed at her temple. "You mean beating up that boy? Honestly sometimes I think she idolizes you a bit too much son."

Puck snorted a little at that, pushing his own lukewarm food around the plate. He couldn't help but grimace a little at the unappetizing display, remembering just how amazing Kurt's cooking was.

"But Ma, did she tell you why she hit him?"

"No, but frankly I don't care."

"But she did because…." Here he faltered. What was he supposed to say? Nothing seemed to fit, everything was either too blunt, or sarcastic. He tried a different tactic.

"Ma, you know that kid we were visiting in the hospital?"

His mother nodded slowly. "Yes, I heard about what happened to him. His father is a good man, gave me a good deal on my tires last year." Her tone was so flat and disassociated, Puck was losing his nerve.

"His name is Kurt, and he's…..well…..he's …."

The alarm on his mother's phone went off then, signaling that she had fifteen minutes before her night shift at the grocery store was to start. That meant that she needed to leave now.

"Sorry honey, can we talk later?" She dumped her plate in the sink, the half eaten dinner still on it.

Puck sighed and nodded. "Sure Ma."

That had been the end of it. She'd left, not for a minute noticing that her only son had just been about to tell her that he was in love, real love…for the first time in his life. And the person he was in love with was a guy.

Puck rolled his pencil around his fingers and tried to pay attention again. The teacher lectured on and on about something to do with slavery and the south. Puck glanced at the clock. He itched to text Kurt, knowing that the other boy was most likely painfully bored at home. Puck didn't doubt that his doctors had given Burt Hummel strict orders about what kind of activities Kurt was allowed and just how much rest and meds he was required. If there was one thing about Kurt that Noah had learned, it was that the brunette did like being bossed or told what he could and could not do. Puck didn't doubt that Burt had his hands full. Puck decided to risk it, pulling his cell phone from his pocket and texting under the desktop. He was thankful that he was seated in the back.

_Make it home okay?_

It took only a few seconds for Kurt to reply. _Yes. Are you gonna come over?_

Puck smiled at his phone before texting back. _Soon as the bell rings babe._

There was a pause of a few minutes before the next text came in. _You're not going to Glee club?_

Puck chewed his lip for a moment. _Not without you_.

_That bell needs to ring now._

Puck felt something inside him purr happily as he flipped his phone shut. He didn't want to press his luck too far and end up in afternoon detention.

_**GLEEPUCKKURT GLEEKURT PUCK**_

Puck was pretty sure he broke at least a couple traffic rules, if not more, driving the few blocks to Kurt's house. Burt let him in when he got there.

"He's downstairs sulking." Burt announced as he opened the door.

Puck quirked an eyebrow and Burt shrugged. "He's cranky and bored, and mad about some of his recovery orders."

He followed Burt into the kitchen, setting his backpack down on one of the chairs. Burt pulled a few things out of the fridge and started putting together two plates of food. While Puck was anxious to see Kurt, he could sense that the elder Hummel wasn't ready to let him go just yet.

"So what's he mad about now?" Puck asked.

"For starters, the doctors want him to eat more and he doesn't like that." Burt mumbled as he finished the sandwiches and added some potato salad to each plate. Puck's stomach growled loudly and he coughed loudly trying to hide the sound.

"Secondly, he's supposed to stay in bed, take it easy for at least another week before they will even think about letting him go back to school."

"Okay." Puck nodded obediently, silently thinking that most teenagers would relish having a valid medical excuse to be out of school.

Burt turned toward him and set the two plates on the table, then patted Puck's shoulder. "I'm glad you're here Noah. Maybe if you're eating, he will. Take this down to him would you?"

Puck nodded, glad to be of use, and glad that Burt had made him a plate as well. He had forgotten to pack a lunch that morning and he was starving. But offered him a smile before turning back toward the hallway, "and Noah?"

"See if you can get him to stop pouting for a bit and relax."

"Yes sir." Puck stood, carefully balancing the plates on his arm. Burt led him down the hallway and opened the door to Kurt's basement room. Puck maneuvered himself through.

"I'll be up here if you guys need anything." Burt said gently, before closing the door behind him.

Puck walked carefully down the stairs into the Kurt's white room. The sound of Kurt's television greeted him and as he walked down, he could see that Kurt was set up in his bed, propped up on pillows, the remote in his good hand. Burt had moved the television so it was angled towards the bed and he saw various pill bottles on Kurt's vanity. Seeing those bottles of medication made Puck's stomach knot just a little. But his eyes quickly swung back to Kurt's face, and the bored look on his face as he hit the button on the controller over and over.

"Hey you." Puck said, just loud enough to make himself heard over the TV.

Kurt started just a little, his head turning quickly in Puck's direction, and light coming into his blue eyes as he smiled. "Noah."

Puck felt weak as he heard Kurt's happy whisper of his name. He swore that his name never sounded as good as when Kurt said it. He carefully walked over and set the two plates of food on Kurt's desk before moving to the bedside. His eyes drank in the smaller boy, hungrily. The bruise that had decorated his jaw was now faded to a dull yellow, and his hair was combed today, he was looking more like himself. And Puck liked it.

"You look better." Puck murmured, dropping down to sit on the side of the bed.

"Thanks, but we both know I look like crap still. At least now I can wear my own pajamas instead of that hideous hospital outfit." Kurt smirked a little, wrinkling his nose.

"You never look like crap Kurt." Noah murmured, aching so badly to touch him but scared to.

Kurt's blue eyes found his and stared for a moment. "I'm glad you're here. I was going to try and make you go to Glee club, but I'm in a selfish mood." Kurt reached out his good hand to entwine his fingers with Noah's. Kurt's soft touch awakened the beast inside and Noah fought the instinct that flared up .

"I'll go back when you can come with me." Puck murmured, rubbing his thumb across the smooth skin of Kurt's hand. His hunger was momentarily forgotten as it felt so good to just be able to be close to his boyfriend again. He smirked a little at how easy that term came to mind now. _Boyfriend_….but that's exactly what Kurt was to him now. Actually he was more than that, so much more.

"Don't tell me I'm the only reason you have to go…" Kurt's tone took on a teasing note and Puck looked up to see those blue eyes suddenly lit with a different fire. He swallowed hard, as his soul twisted and turned inside.

"No, I like to sing and all….but right now I'd rather be here, with you." Puck said, his voice quiet and husky. He couldn't take his eyes off Kurt's face, memorizing perfect pale contours, wishing his fingers could trace those lines.

Kurts' mouth curved into a come hither smile, and his hold on Puck's hand tightened, pulling him.

"Kurt….." Noah's voice wavered as he realized just what was hiding behind the angelic face. He scooted a little closer as Kurt tugged on his hand.

"Come here….Noah…" Kurt's breathy whisper nearly killed him. It had been so many days since he'd been able to touch his love, to feel that soft skin under his fingers for more than a second. Puck ached to feel it.

"Kurt….no….I…..aren't you in pain?" Puck babbled, closing his eyes for a moment, trying to block out the fact that he was finally alone with Kurt for the first time in days, and that Kurt was taunting him.

Puck kept his eyes shut but heard the soft sound of Kurt moving away from his pillows. He wanted to look, but was scared that if he did, he would lose the slight grip he had on his control.

"No, the meds they gave me. It doesn't hurt much right now." Kurt's voice was lower now, and had that breathy edge to it that made Noah's heart race. Why was he teasing him like this?

He felt Kurt's good hand slowly untangle from his and slide up his forearm, the touch sending current through his nerves like a live wire. So many images flew through his mind, all the things he wanted to do to the smaller boy. He began to feel as if the temperature in the room had been cranked up. He kept his eyes shut.

"Kurt….we can't….your dad….you're hurt…." He rasped, trying to ignore how amazing Kurt's playful touch felt as it slid up his shoulder and then to his neck. As the soft fingers splayed across his cheek, he felt as if he was going to die from the restraint it took not to move or look.

"He won't come down….at least not for awhile…." Kurt baited him, his thumb now gently tracing across Puck's lower lip. The intimate touch sent a shiver over his skin.

"Damnit Hummel…you're killing me…oh God.. do you know how bad I want to touch you?" He opened his eyes then to find Kurt closer, leaning in as he held his face.

"Show me Noah….show me how bad you want it…."

Puck gripped Kurt's comforter tightly in his fists, locking gazes with his love. "…we can't….Kurt….please…" He was pleading now, whether it was for Kurt to stop teasing him or to go on, he wasn't sure anymore.

"I want to feel better Noah_….touch me_….I want to feel your hands on me again…." Kurt's words were like fire as he leaned in close and Noah could see that his pupils were dilated from the pain killers he was on. But then Kurt said something that nearly broke him. "…Noah please… it's been too long…..don't make me beg…."

"Kurt_,….Fuck_….." Puck choked out, unable to hold on any longer. Despite his want, he forced himself to be extremely careful as he leaned in and captured Kurt's mouth with his own. It was like pouring gasoline on a bonfire.

Kurt melted against him, and Puck was careful not to put any pressure on the other boy's chest as he carefully wrapped his arms around him. While his hold was gentle, the kiss was not as much so. Kurt's soft lips pressed against his firmly, as he moaned in his arms. Puck felt like he was walking a tightrope as his desire burned hotter than ever. It had been too long since he'd been able to hold him like this…and with Kurt moaning into his mouth….it was almost too much.

"I love you Kurt….god it's been killing me to not be able to hold you…." Puck groaned, running his hands through the Kurt's soft dark hair. He leaned down to place kisses over the boy's cheeks, and then down over the soft skin of his neck. Kurt shifted against him, his good hand grabbing at Puck's shirt, pulling him closer.

"Noah_….oh my god….please_…I'm gonna die if you don't touch me…." Kurt rambled, his breathing hoarse and uneven. Puck worried for a moment about his bruised ribs, but then Kurt's hand suddenly dropped to his lap and all thought flew from his head.

"Kurt…._shit….no_….can't…._oh god baby_…." Puck slid his hand under the hem of Kurt's pajama top, running his fingers across the smooth skin of the other boys stomach. Puck was amazed at his own control, surprised he was still able to be so gentle, despite the fact that he'd never been so aroused in his life.

Kurt's hand pressed down against his crotch and Puck groaned unable to keep his hips from gently thrusting against the pressure. Kurt moaned and rubbed harder, leaning in to press kisses against Puck's throat. Puck moved his hand near the waistband of Kurt's pants, unable to believe what they were doing, and how undeniably hot it was.

"If you hurt…you need to tell me….I don't want to hurt you….._uh_…." Puck grunted as Kurt's hand rubbed up and down his length through his jeans.

"Its okay…I'll tell you.….please Noah….._oh god please_….." Kurt's wanton pleading flicked every nerve ending in his body. As Puck moved slowly, sliding his hand inside the other boys pants, he watched as Kurt closed his eyes and tilted his head back, his swollen lips parted. As he felt the soft skin of Kurt's erection against his palm Noah couldn't stop the moan that ripped out of him. He couldn't believe they were doing this, but Kurt felt so good and the panting that came out of his throat was amazing.

Puck tried to remind himself that Kurt was still recovering from a beating and some of this bravado was most likely being helped by his pain medication. But when he felt Kurt's fingers start so fumble with zip on his jeans, he no longer cared why.

"You like that baby?" Puck murmured, closing his hand around the hot soft skin and stroking him softly. Kurt's breathy little moans were answer enough, and a moment later Puck felt Kurt's hand on him.

"Gently …." Puck whispered and used his free hand to pull the pillows up behind Kurt's back for him to lean on again.

"Puck…Noah_….oh my….oh god_….yes…." Kurt's words came out little puffs as they stroked each other.

Noah had never experienced anything more erotic. He watched Kurt's face carefully for any sign of pain, but all he saw was pleasure and he delighted in it. He moved his hand gently against his love and gasped with sensation as Kurt's hand copied his actions. Kurt's blue eyes opened and locked with his and they both sped up their movement, knowing that it was building.

Noah felt rocked to his core at what he saw in those perfect eyes. Lust, love, want, and possessiveness were all there dancing in the blue of Kurt's eyes. He could tell by the way Kurt touched him, the way he looked at him that the other boy considered Noah to be _his_. It was all he needed to push him over the edge. Noah swore he saw stars as he came.

"yes…_oh god_….Noah…_.mine_….I love you_….uh_…." Kurt moaned as he hit his own climax. Both boys just sat there for a moment, panting and trying to slow their racing hearts.

Puck was the one to break the contented silence, leaning in to place the gentlest of kisses against the other boy's lips.

"You're crazy….but damn if that wasn't the hottest thing ever." He whispered against Kurt's mouth before leaning back.

"ya…. Amazing..." Kurt purred.

Noah got up and quickly grabbed a washcloth from Kurt's bathroom so they could clean up. Once he helped Kurt get resettled against his pillows his stomach growled loudly reminding him of the food Burt had given them.

"Your dad said you need to eat." He said, grabbing the two plates from the desk.

Kurt started to protest but Puck simply set the plate on his lap. "No arguing…or I'm gonna tell your dad that his innocent little son just practically jumped me."

Kurt's gasp of shock and horror nearly caused Puck to choke on his first bite as he struggled not to laugh.


	26. Clear Skies

Several weeks later…..

KURT

Kurt frowned as the sharp smell of the Sharpie ink attacked his nose. He tried not to glance over to see exactly what Noah was drawing on his cast. He'd promised not to look until the other boy was finished, but curiosity gnawed at him. He silently prayed it wouldn't be anything too ugly or embarrassing. He tried to quiet his suspicions by silently reminding himself that his cast wasn't usually visible. He'd taken to wearing longer sleeved shirts and sweaters that hid most of the bright blue cast (the doctors had of course chosen a color that didn't match most of his wardrobe). Noah had been begging all week to let him sign the thing, and Kurt had finally relented.

Kurt smiled down at his lap as Glee rehearsal went on around them. The harmonies of his friends' voices were pleasing to hear and as Kurt glanced around the room, he was happy to see that not one of the choir kids had slushie stains on their clothes. The anti-bullying policy that had been put into action had really been a godsend for not just for himself, but all the kids in glee. Kurt remembered just how terrified he'd been to come back to school. That Monday had finally come, after so much time at home on ordered bed rest, and Kurt had been so scared he'd just sat there frozen in his car in the parking lot. He'd nearly just asked Noah to turn the car around and drive home.

Despite the fact that his dad had reported that Karofsky and the other goons who had thrashed him had been expelled and were now in juvenile hall, Kurt couldn't help the panic that drifted over him as he looked out his car windows at the parking lot. Flashes of that night assaulted him and he closed his eyes against the onslaught of images that he didn't want to see. The rain, the lightning…the sound of his own screams getting lost in the jocks jeers and the booming thunder. Kurt flinched at the memory of Karofsky's voice yelling nonsense at him as he brought the bat down against his arm.

Kurt sighed at that memory and remembered just how gently Noah had touched his face in the cab of the car. He'd whispered soft words of love and comfort until Kurt had calmed down enough to get out of the vehicle and face the first day back. And with Noah attached to his side, Kurt had been able to get through it. The taller boy did not leave him alone for a moment except for the few classes they didn't share. And even then, his boyfriend had taken care to make sure that he handed off guard duty to Mike, Sam, or even Finn at one point.

Kurt glanced over at the back of Finn's jacket. One of the biggest surprises had been Finn's visit. His future stepbrother had shown up one afternoon, when Puck had gone home for a few hours. The tall teen had been jittery and apologetic as he'd babbled about how sorry he was for what had happened, and how guilty he'd felt for not knowing what had been coming. Kurt had tried to reassure Finn that he didn't blame him, but Finn had broken down and blurted out that he still felt responsible. Then he'd admitted something that had stunned Kurt to the core.

Finn had swiped at his eyes and sniffled. "I'm so sorry Kurt. I tried to make it right though…..I got back at them."

"You what?" Kurt had sat up in the hospital bed then.

"I was the one who bashed up their cars." Finn's voice was heavy and sorrowful.

"That was you?" Kurt hadn't been able to hold back his shocked gasp.

"Yeah, somebody needed to do it."

"But why?"

"We're gonna be family one of these days Kurt. I admit that you kind of freaked me out last year, but you're a good person. I couldn't have that on my conscience that they did that to you….I had to do something."

Kurt smiled to himself as the song ended and his thoughts returned to his current location. Things had gotten better from there once Kurt had convinced Finn to confess what he'd done to Noah. The two teens had finally mended their broken friendship over that, Noah being glad that Finn had finally manned up and done something worth doing. And Finn, while a little shocked about his relationship with Kurt, had agreed that Puck seemed better for it.

"Okay, you can look now baby." Puck murmured near Kurt's ear, his warm breath causing a shiver to run over Kurt's skin.

Kurt turned to look into the face of his boyfriend. Noah had leaned in close and was watching him with a gentle grin, his hand still holding Kurt's damaged one. Kurt could feel the heat of Noah's hands against the tips of fingers that protruded from the cast. He wondered if he would ever get used to just how hot the other boy ran. Every touch still felt like fire against his skin. It was one of the things he loved so much about Noah, one of many.

"Aren't you going to look?" Noah teased, leaning in close enough for Kurt to smell the cinnamon mint scent of his gum. Kurt sighed, the sight of Noah's mouth making him think about kissing, and doing all sorts of things that his doctors would frown upon. Kurt bit his lip against the hot images in his head.

"You better stop looking at me like that Princess….or I might just have to ravish you here…and traumatize the rest of the club." Puck whispered playfully. And Kurt had to stifle a chuckle as he rolled his eyes. They both knew that Puck's threat was half empty, as the bigger boy had been the one who took Kurt's injuries more seriously.

Kurt took a deep breath and finally directed his gaze away from Puck's handsome features, looking down at the tattoo on his cast. Puck had drawn on the underside of the cast, over where the inside of his wrist resided. A small heart with the word Mine scrawled in fancier cursive than Kurt had known Puck was capable of. He felt the blood rush to his cheeks as he stared at it. His heart nearly purred with happiness.

"Oh Noah…." Kurt whispered, his voice nearly lost in the harmonies around them as the club started in on the next song. He reached his good hand over to grab at the fabric of Puck's shirt, pulling the mohawked boy in close, no longer caring about who saw or who cared.

"Like it?" Noah teased.

"Love it, and you." Kurt murmured, leaning in to capture Puck's lips in a soft, soulful kiss that ended far too soon for either of them. Even though his blood roared in his ears, his instincts demanding more, Kurt leaned back and laid his head on Puck's shoulder. He wanted more, but his physical state, and the fact that they were surrounded by their friends prohibited it for the time being. Puck kissed the top of his head and then started singing along with the rest of the club, his rich baritone voice joining in the harmony.

Kurt closed his eyes for a moment, and took in the fact that despite the fact that his ribs still ached from his ordeal….he was happy. Blissfully happy.


End file.
